UPDATE 6-Guinea's Conte dies, officer says govt dissolved

(Adds details of communique and officer who read it)

By Saliou Samb

CONAKRY, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Guinea announced on Tuesday the death of its long-serving president, Lansana Conte, and hours later a military officer made a broadcast on state radio saying the constitution and government were suspended.

In the radio broadcast, Captain Moussa David Camara said a self-styled National Council for Democracy was taking over.

The broadcast created confusion in the seaside capital Conakry after government leaders said earlier Conte had died following nearly a quarter century of rule over the West African state, the world's leading exporter of bauxite aluminium ore.

Soldiers and police guarded the presidential palace and the central bank, witnesses said.

Journalists at state radio headquarters contacted by Reuters said a group of soldiers had entered the building and forced staff to broadcast the communique.

The statement read on the air by Capt. Camara said the constitution was suspended and the government dissolved. A transitional council of military and civilian members would be created in the coming days which would reflect "ethnic balance".

The broadcast cited what it called widespread corruption, impunity and anarchy and a "catastrophic economic situation" to justify the dissolving of the government. "The members of the current government are in large part responsible for this unprecedented economic and social crisis," it said.