Minister of Foreign Affairs Moctar Ouane of Mali

This picture has been released into the public domain

BAMAKO (AFP) Government officials from north and northwest Africa will to meet in Mali's capital Bamako to tackle security concerns in the region, Foreign Minister Moctar Ouane said Thursday.

Ouane has confirmed that government officials from north and northwest Africa will to meet in Mali\x27s capital Bamako to tackle security concerns in the region.

Speaking to reporters in a press conference after a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki here on Wednesday, Moctar Ouane said he conveyed a message for President Ahmadinejad from his Malian counterpart.

Ouane said that the two sides have paid special attention to the development of financial and economic ties to further consolidate their mutual relations and pointed to the endorsement of agreements in the various areas, including agriculture and energy sectors.

During a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Mali Wei Wenhua, Ouane said the Malian government is deeply concerned about Chen's move, saying that the Taiwan leader has moved further on his road to seek "Taiwan independence" and would gravely endanger peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, according to reports from Mali's capital Bamako.

In his introductory statement, Minister Moctar OUANE was pleased that this meeting was held at the same time as the High Ranking Meeting of the General Assembly that offered world political leaders the historic opportunity to evaluate progress that were accomplished in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals and reaffirm their will to reform the United Nations for a better world based on universalism, equity and regional balance.

The attacks "indicate a new threat to peace and international security that constitutes terrorism, along with arms and drug trafficking," Foreign Affairs Minister Moctar Ouane said in a statement read on state television late Saturday.

Ouane said Malis government plans to continue to honor the terms of the peace deal, and said all but one of the points of that agreement have been achieved.

Minister Ouane described this session as a milestone in bilateral collaboration, which will contribute to strengthen Mali"s development potential.