Mali coup leader urged to step aside
2012-05-12 08:18
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Mali
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Washington - The US State Department on
Friday called on the officer who led a military coup in Mali in March to step
aside and allow for the full return to civilian rule.
The State Department said the coup leaders
had undermined democracy and hampered the West African nation's ability to
respond to the humanitarian crisis in northern Mali.
"A strong, stable democratic government
in Mali is essential in order for the country to deal successfully with its
multiple economic, social and security challenges," the department said.
The military nominally handed over power to
Dioncounda Traore in April, but the agreement runs out later this month.
Captain Amadou Sanogo, who led the coup,
wants to take back power once Traore's 40-day mandate is up, aides said on
Thursday.
The coup has left Mali diplomatically
isolated and allowed a mix of separatist and Islamist rebels to seize all the
main towns in the desert north, sweeping with them fighters linked to al Qaeda.
The State Department said it would maintain
its sanctions against Sanogo, other coup leaders and the government of Mali
until the military steps down and democracy is restored.
"Because of the withdrawal, the defence
lawyer's final arguments could not be registered and the judge did not take
this into account in his ruling," said Bendjelloun.
