ANTANANARIVO, March 20 Madagascar faced international isolation on Friday as the African Union suspended its membership and threatened sanctions, while the United States, France and Germany rallied behind the deposed president.

Washington called new president Andry Rajoelinas rise to power a “coup d'etat” and suspended its non-humanitarian aid to Antananarivo, while Nicolas Sarkozy, president of former colonial ruler France, called for fresh elections.

“This series of events is tantamount to a coup d'etat and the United States will not maintain our current assistance partnership with Madagascar,” US State Department spokesman Robert Wood said, adding that it would suspend “all non-humanitarian assistance” to the Indian Ocean island.

Mr Sarkozy told a news conference at the end of a two-day European Union summit in Brussels “Of course it's a coup detat.”

“I greatly regret what has happened in Madagascar and I call for elections as soon as possible, which is the only way out of this imbroglio.”

Germany joined the condemnation of Marc Ravalomanana's toppling as president and called for a return to democracy, with the foreign ministry saying that street protests were not a democratic way to change the government.But Madagascar's acting prime minister rejected the coup claims, and called on the European Union, which had called the takeover a coup, to reconsider its position.

“Maybe the European Union's vision is a bit blurred. We're ready to explain,” Monja Roindefo said. “After that we'll ask them to reconsider their position.

“We'll explain the real situation. Maybe the way Madagascar acts is not very clear. Things can be a bit specific which may be difficult to follow in every detail. We dont think that this was a coup detat.

“It's the direct expression of democracy, when representative democracy does not express itself through the institutions.”

The Southern African Development Community (SADC), whose 15 members include Madagascar, also refused to recognise Andry Rajoelina despite his confirmation as new president by a constitutional court a day earlier.

The SADC will meet before the end of the month to consider sanctions, South Africa's Defence Minister Charles Nqakula told reporters in Pretoria.

Roindefo said the growing list of countries and institutions condemning the takeover “do not bother us much”.

“If they haven't understood the process, they may well react. But if they stick to their line after we have spoken, it will be annoying.”—AFP