Bamako, Jan 4 (AFP\/APP): Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe, who is mediating in a diplomatic row over 46 Ivorian soldiers detained in Mali, paid a “friendly working visit” to Bamako on Wednesday, the Malian presidency said in a statement.<\/p>\n
A Malian court last month sentenced the troops, accused of being “mercenaries”, to 20 years in prison, despite a threat of sanctions from West African leaders.<\/p>\n
The statement said that Gnassingbe had held a “working session” with Malian junta leader Assimi Goita.<\/p>\n
After the meeting, a statement from the Togolese presidency said the two leaders had discussed “regional issues of common interest”.<\/p>\n
An official at the Malian presidency, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that Gnassingbe had called for a “presidential pardon” for the troops, before heading back to Abidjan.<\/p>\n
Malian authorities detained 49 Ivorian soldiers after they arrived at Bamako airport on July 10 to provide backup security for a UN peacekeeping mission.<\/p>\n
Three women soldiers were freed, but later sentenced to death in absentia.
\nThe West African bloc ECOWAS had given Mali a deadline of January 1 to free the troops or face sanctions. However, it has remained mum since the December 30 sentencing.<\/p>\n
The troops were found guilty of an “attack and conspiracy against the government” and seeking to undermine state security, public prosecutor Ladji Sara said in a statement last month.<\/p>\n
– Talks continue –<\/p>\n
In his New Year’s address, Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara promised that the imprisoned soldiers “will soon return to Ivorian soil”.<\/p>\n
“We must trust the head of state,” Ivorian government spokesman Amadou Coulibaly said after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
“Ivory Coast has chosen a way — that of negotiation — it is the diplomatic way, we remain resolutely committed to this path,” he added.
\nHe declined to comment on the convictions of the Ivorian soldiers.<\/p>\n
“We never comment on court decisions taken in Ivory Coast; there is no reason for us to comment on court decisions taken abroad,” he said.<\/p>\n
Ivory Coast has categorically denied the soldiers were “mercenaries”.
\nOn December 22, an Ivorian delegation visited Bamako to discuss the detention of the soldiers.<\/p>\n
At the end of that visit, a memorandum was signed, and Ivorian Defence Minister Tene Birahima Ouattara said the matter was “on the way to resolution”.<\/p>\n
The agreement leaves the door open for a possible presidential pardon by Goita, who did not mention the Ivorian soldiers in his end-of-year speech on Saturday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Bamako, Jan 4 (AFP\/APP): Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe, who is mediating in a diplomatic row over 46 Ivorian soldiers detained in Mali, paid a “friendly working visit” to Bamako on Wednesday, the Malian presidency said in a statement. A Malian court last month sentenced the […]<\/p>\n
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