ACCRA, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has asked the military leaders in Mali to form a civilian-led transitional government to have sanctions imposed on the country lifted, according to the chairman of ECOWAS and Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Addressing the media late Tuesday after a day's meeting of heads of state from West African countries on the political crisis in Mali, Akufo-Addo said the situation called for a quick resolution to have a government in place that could start the process of stabilizing the country.

"We need a civilian leadership of the transition, and we have also made it clear that the minute that leadership is put in place, through the processes agreed on in Mali, the sanctions that have been placed against Mali would be lifted by ECOWAS," he said.

Akufo-Addo added that although the meeting held in Ghana's presidential lodge at Peduase did not arrive at any agreements, "what we have said is that the position of ECOWAS on a civilian leadership of the transitional government has not changed."

ECOWAS announced a number of sanctions against Mali following the military take-over on Aug. 18, including the suspension of Mali from the internal decision-making bodies of ECOWAS, the closure of land and air borders to Mali, and the suspension of financial flows from all ECOWAS member states to the country. Enditem

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