If a request for the departure of the French forces is not “for the moment on the table”, the Malian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdoulaye Diop declared Friday that his country “is not excluding anything in relation to these questions if it does not take in Malian interests. Tensions between Paris and the Malian junta are reaching an unprecedented level. On Saturday, a French soldier was killed in Mali where hostility once morest the Barkhane operation in full overhaul rose a notch at the end of 2021. This Thursday, a senior Malian junta official called on the French Minister for the Armed Forces Florence Parly to to shut up.
The head of Malian diplomacy made this statement to Radio France Internationale in reaction to comments by his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian. He noted a “break in the political framework and the military framework”, in the face of the accelerated deterioration of relations and the request, by Bamako, for the withdrawal of the Danish special forces. “These are words of contempt,” said the Malian minister. “We ask that Paris respect us as a country,” he continued.
Provisions of the defense agreement “contrary to the Constitution”
Mali is ready, if necessary, to denounce the defense agreement concluded with France, which it recently asked for revision in Paris, because “certain provisions are contrary to the Constitution and the sovereignty of Mali”, said Abdoulaye Diop. “We expect a quick response from Paris. In the absence of a response, make sure (be assured) that Mali will assume itself” (take its responsibilities), he said.
As for asking for the departure of French troops as the junta did with the Danish special forces, “this question is not on the table for the moment”, he said. However, “if a presence at a given time is deemed contrary to the interests of Mali, we will not hesitate to take responsibility, but we are not there yet”, he said.
