France frowns upon independence declaration in Africa

Malian Tuareg rebel group (MNLA) stated on Friday that it had declared the independence of the northern region of Azawad. France said the declaration of an independent homeland had no standing if not recognized by other African states amid international alarm over Mali's swift collapse in the two weeks since a coup in the capital Bamako. France frowns upon independence declaration in Africa “We declare the independence of Azawad from this day on,” MNLA Spokesman Mossa Ag Attaher told France 24 on Friday. They also promised to “respect all the colonial frontiers that separate Azawad from its neighbors”. MNLA said that it would halt all military operations, AFP has reported. “We fully accept the role and responsibility for providing security in the territory. We have ended a very important fight, the fight for liberalization and the biggest job starts now,” Ag Attaher stressed. While the Tuareg rebel declared their independence, Ansar Dine, their Islamist comrades-turned-rebels set about imposing Islamic sharia law in northern parts of Mali. "A unilateral declaration of independence that was not recognised by African states would have no meaning," French Defence Minister Gerard Longuet said on Friday. “The EU supports Mali’s integrity and does not accept the secession of the northern part of the country,” EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton’s Spokeswoman Maja Kocijancicic said. "The EU has made clear throughout the crisis that it respects the territorial integrity of Mali," she told AFP and added that "any political solution to the current crisis must be found within the existing constitutional framework." Kocijancic said the EU backed efforts by the West African regional bloc ECOWAS to broker an end to the crisis in Mali which has been plunged into chaos since a coup last month. The African Union (AU) rejected Friday Tuareg rebel proclamation of independence in the north, dismissing it as "null and of no value whatsoever." AU Commission Chief Jean Ping expressed the bloc's "total rejection" of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) declaration of a homeland in the north, AFP has reported. Tanjug

France frowns upon independence declaration in Africa

“We declare the independence of Azawad from this day on,” MNLA Spokesman Mossa Ag Attaher told France 24 on Friday.

They also promised to “respect all the colonial frontiers that separate Azawad from its neighbors”.

MNLA said that it would halt all military operations, AFP has reported.

“We fully accept the role and responsibility for providing security in the territory. We have ended a very important fight, the fight for liberalization and the biggest job starts now,” Ag Attaher stressed.

While the Tuareg rebel declared their independence, Ansar Dine, their Islamist comrades-turned-rebels set about imposing Islamic sharia law in northern parts of Mali.

"A unilateral declaration of independence that was not recognised by African states would have no meaning," French Defence Minister Gerard Longuet said on Friday.

“The EU supports Mali’s integrity and does not accept the secession of the northern part of the country,” EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton’s Spokeswoman Maja Kocijancičić said.

"The EU has made clear throughout the crisis that it respects the territorial integrity of Mali," she told AFP and added that "any political solution to the current crisis must be found within the existing constitutional framework."

Kocijančić said the EU backed efforts by the West African regional bloc ECOWAS to broker an end to the crisis in Mali which has been plunged into chaos since a coup last month.

The African Union (AU) rejected Friday Tuareg rebel proclamation of independence in the north, dismissing it as "null and of no value whatsoever."

AU Commission Chief Jean Ping expressed the bloc's "total rejection" of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) declaration of a homeland in the north, AFP has reported.