Abidjan, Ivory Coast (CNN) -- The United States called on coup leaders in Mali on Friday to step down and allow for elections to take place.U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner spoke one day after the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) gave the military junta that ousted Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure three days to hand back power to civilians or face "diplomatic and financial embargo."
"We echo ECOWAS's call for the mutineers to step down and allow for a swift return to democratic rule and for presidential elections to ultimately take place," he told reporters in Washington.
The group of African leaders issued its warning Thursday after meeting in emergency session.
ECOWAS "invite(s) its states to impose a travel ban for members of the junta and a diplomatic and financial embargo on the country if there is no return to constitutional order within a maximum period of 72 hours," said Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, the group's president. Read More
