Mali putschists want transition leader chosen by conventionBy KOUF KAF in Bamako | Tuesday, May 15  2012 at  15:38

Malia coup leader Captain Amadou Sanogo is insisting a transition president will be chosen at a national convention.

This contradicts the Ecowas position that interim president Dioncounda Traoré continue with the transition.

"We have been badly misunderstood by some people," Capt Sanogo declared Monday, terming the March 22 coup he led as an act of "patriotism."

However, he gave no information on the date of the convention.

He asked President Traoré and Prime Minister Cheick Modibo Diarra to organise the convention.

President Traoré’s interim term will end next week on May 22nd but Ecowas wants him to continue and oversee a one-year transition leading to elections.

The ex-junta is opposed to this, and it is believed they want to put their own man to supervise the transition.

Ecowas is threatening to re-impose sanctions if Capt Sanogo and his colleagues to don’t keep off.