West African defence and foreign ministers met for talks Monday on the possible deployment of regional troops to Mali and on how to assist coup-prone Guinea Bissau in its political transition.The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is trying to broker an end to the political crises in Mali -- which has been effectively sliced in two after a putsch -- and in impoverished Guinea-Bissau, which suffered a coup in April.The meeting will consider reports presented by the president of the ECOWAS Commission, Desire Kadre Ouedraogo, on the political and security situations in the two countries, a statement said Sunday.The defence chiefs have held several meetings as part of ECOWAS efforts towards the resolution of the crises in Mali and Guinea Bissau. The latest meeting comes in the wake of a formal request earlier this month by Malis interim President Dioncounda Traore for ECOWAS military assistance to recover the occupied territory in the north of the country and combat Islamist extremists there.Traores request for ECOWAS assistance made it clear that the deployment of active military forces would not be needed in the capital Bamako.AFP
