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France urges respect for democracy, order in Mali

PARIS - France called for the constitutional order to be respected in Mali and urged all citizens of the West African country to protect its democracy, the French Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday after heavy gunfire was heard in the capital of the former French colony.
"France has deep concerns about the grave troubles currently taking place in Bamako," Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said in a statement.
"It calls for the respect of constitutional order and condemns all recourse to violence. France calls on all Malians in this crucial period to preserve democracy in Mali," he added.