Senegal's Sall says compromise still possible with Mali on election dates

FILE PHOTO: Senegal's President Macky Sall speaks at a news conference on the second day of a European Union (EU) African Union (AU) summit at The European Council Building in Brussels, Belgium February 18, 2022. John Thys/Pool via REUTERS//File Photo

DAKAR (Reuters) - Senegal President Macky Sall said on Thursday he is still hopeful that a compromise can be reached with Mali's ruling military junta on the timeline for restoring democratic rule.

Mali's military leaders, who overthrew the government in 2020, have been negotiating with West Africa's regional bloc on how long they can hold power. They announced this week they had decided on 24 months starting from March 2022.