The United States condemned Pakistan military ruler General Pervez Musharraf's decision to declare himself president today and said US sanctions would remain until Pakistan moved toward democracy, a State Department spokesman said.
"We are very concerned and we are very disappointed that Pakistan takes another turn away from democracy rather than, as we had hoped, a step toward democracy", State department spokesman Mr Richard Boucher told a briefing.
He said the action by the general, who also dissolved the elected legislature that he had suspended after taking power in a coup in 1999, severely undermines Pakistan's constitutional order and casts Pakistan as a country ruled by decree rather than by democratic process.
Mr Boucher also said: "Pakistan, we believe, should understand that US sanctions imposed because of the military coup cannot be lifted until the (US) president determines that a democratically elected government has taken office."
He said Pakistani Foreign Minister Mr Abdul Sattar, now visiting Washington, had not given notice of General Musharraf's move in talks with Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell yesterday.