New York  - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Monday strongly condemned the assassinations of Guinea-Bissau's President Joao Bernardo Vieira and his Army chief General Batista Tagme Na Waie.

The UN was preparing to provide further assistance to Guinea- Bissau to implement peace building projects and democratic reform following the recent successful legislative elections under the slain president. Vieira was slain Monday by soldiers loyal to General Wai, who died in a bombing Sunday evening.

Ban issued an urgent call for calm and restraint, urging the country's national authorities to fully investigate the assassinations and bring to justice those responsible for them.

"The secretary general sends his condolences to the families of the late president and the chief of general staff, as well as to the people of Guinea-Bissau," a UN statement said.

"He called on the national authorities of Guinea-Bissau to maintain constitutional order and respect for the rule of law at this critical moment," it said.

The UN said its representative for Guinea Bissau, Joseph Mutaboba, and others in the international community were working to promote peace, political stability and development in the African nation. dpa