[JURIST] US ambassador Joseph LeBaron [official profile] was called Thursday to Mauritania's foreign ministry in Nouakchott by the Military Council for Justice and Democracy, a militia group that has taken control of the West African nation. LeBaron met with leaders of the military coup that ousted President Maaouiya Ould Taya [Wikipedia profile] and called on them to return constitutional rule to an Islamic state whose relationships with many Western nations have improved recently. Britain, the European Union and the United Nations have all urged a return to constitutional order [UN press release] as well and the African Union has temporarily suspended Mauritania's membership [PDF statement]. Though the junta has vowed to return to democratic government within two years, a spokesman for the US State Department said the US and an international coalition would work to restore constitutional rule in Mauritania "as quickly as possible." CNS has more.