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Four West African presidents turn back from Mali
Negotiations between Mali’s military junta and four West African presidents seeking to restore the country’s elected government will take place in Ivory Coast, after the plane carrying the heads of state to Mali turned around because demonstrators were on the airport tarmac, an adviser to Ivory Coast’s president said Thursday.
The adviser said the plane never landed as previously reported, but turned around after flying over the airport. The four presidents represented the West African bloc, economic community of West African states (ECOWAS), which is threatening military force if Capt. Amadou Haya Sanogo doesn’t step down.
Witnesses said groups of demonstrators had gone onto the tarmac before the scheduled arrival of the plane shouting “Shame on ECOWAS. Mali is for us.”
“There was not enough security, so we are going back to Abidjan,” the adviser told The Associated Press. “The meeting is now going to be held at the Abidjan airport.” He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to speak to the press.
He said the junta leaders would also travel to Abidjan, Ivory Coast for the meetings.
Presidents from Ivory Coast, Benin, Niger and Burkina Faso were to meet with the army captain that led the coup last week following a mutiny at an army base.
“We plan on imposing sanctions immediately if they do not restore constitutional order,” the adviser said.
