West African nations have given the leaders of the coup in Mali 72 hours to relinquish power or face sanctions.
The regional body Ecowas said the proposed measures included closing land borders and freezing Mali's assets, denying Mali access to their ports, and there would be no transfers to commercial banks in Mali from the regional central bank based in Senegal since Mali is one of eight West African countries which use a common currency - the CFA franc.
The leaders met in Ivory Coast, after earlier plans for talks with the coup leaders in the Malian capital, Bamako failed because the coup supporters occupied the airport's runway.
There has been no official reaction to the deadline from Mali's military rulers while many Malians are upset that after 20 years of democracy, the army is once more in charge.
The coup leaders have unveiled a new constitution as well as announcing elections in which those who took part in the coup would be barred from standing. However, no date has yet been fixed.
The coup was led by soldiers unhappy with the way President Amadou Toumani Toure's government had been handling a Tuareg insurgency in the north.
The Tuareg rebels have forced the army out of several northern towns in recent months and on Thursday attacked the town of Kidal.
Under the new constitution, a transitional committee composed of 26 members of the security forces and 15 civilians would take power and those who serve on the committee will be given immunity from prosecution.
Some of the document is similar to Mali's current constitution, including guarantees of freedom of speech, thought and movement.
Meanwhile, Mr Toure, the ousted president, said on Wednesday that he remained in the country, free and in good health.
Culled from BBC
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