Talks between West African nations and Mali’s new junta ended on Monday without both reaching an agreement.
The meeting was held to discuss way forward on how the country will return to civilian rule after last week coup.
Both parties claimed that ousted president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita – whose return to office had been initially demanded by the regional bloc ECOWAS – no longer wished to resume duties.
The August 18 coup triggered shockwaves among neighbouring countries, fearing that one of the region’s most volatile countries would spiral into chaos.
In bidding for peace, ECOWAS sent a high-level delegation to Bamako on Saturday, led by former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan, to press its demands for the immediate return to constitutional order.
The talks have focussed on the transition to civilian rule.
“There were discussions on both sides, given that at this stage nothing has been set down, nothing has been decided, and that as far as we are concerned, the final architecture of the transition will be discussed and defined by us,” said the junta’s spokesman, Colonel Ismael Wague.
