Dioncounda Traoré’s request to Ecowas denounced by CNRDRE spokesman

In an interview with the newspaper Mali Demain Colonel Youssouf Traoré , a member of the CNRDRE which represents the former Junta,rejected the President’s letter to ECOWAS requesting its aid to take back the North of Mali from Islamist forces.He said that Mali did not need the presence of foreign troops on its soil and said they were not in agreement.
 
He blamed the delay in the Malian army’s response to the situation in Mali on ECOWAS for delaying arms shipments due from West African countries. He said that this was also used to pressurise President Traoré into requesting ECOWAS’s aid and that an ECOWAS force would be an occupation force.He confirmed that equipment and logistics support was needed but not troops.
 
The ex junta is said to still have influence in policy in Mali and has three cabinet ministers in the government of National Unity which was recently appointed.