West African Nations Set to Discuss Togo

The West African regional group known as ECOWAS is set to hold an emergency summit Wednesday in Niger to discuss the situation in Togo.

International criticism of Togolese authorities continued Tuesday over the choice of Faure Gnassingbe as the country's new president after the military installed him hours after his father's death Saturday. Reacting to the criticism, Togo's parliament amended the constitution on Sunday to allow Mr. Gnassingbe to serve out his father's, Gnassingbe Eyadema's term ending in 2008.

The constitution had called for naming the speaker of parliament as interim president until elections are held in two months.

The African Union's Peace and Security Council Tuesday branded Mr. Gnassingbe's seizure of power "a blatant and unacceptable violation of the Togolese constitution." The United States, Britain and France are calling for new elections.