Accra, Feb. 26, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills on Friday stressed the need for peace in Niger, hit last week by a coup d'tat that ousted President Mamadou Tandja.

He said peace was pre-requisite for development. President Mills said the events in Niger were a matter of concern to all, because leaders in the sub-region considered citizens of that country as brothers and sisters.

President Mills made the observation at the Osu Castle in Accra, when a delegation of the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy in Niger, put up by the military junta that ousted the civilian administration called on him.

In a brief chat with the delegation before the meeting went into close doors, President Mills said the AU and the ECOWAS were very concerned about events in Niger.

He said the leaders of ECOWAS spent quite some time last week on peace Niger during its Summit in Abuja, Nigeria.

President Mills said all activities prior to the return to democracy should be peaceful so that people could go about their duties without fear. The leader of the delegation, Colonel Hassan Mossi, praised Ghana's democratic credentials and said Niger was ready to understudy the process. He described Ghana as "school for democracy".

Col. Mossi observed that coup d' tats could draw the development of a country back for 20 years.

He told journalists later that there was no alternative to the military action, which he said enjoyed massive support.

He declined to announce a timetable for an election, but said under the transitional arrangements no military person would be candidate for the presidential polls.

Col. Mossi said the Prime Minister, Mahamadou Danda was not linked to any political party.

"We hope the people wh o are going into Government would be technocrats," Col, Mossi said. He added that the transitional c ouncil would lay the foundation for true democracy and ensure that all political parties are brought on board to discuss the future of Niger.