ECOWAS leaders end persuasive talks with no response from Gambian President Jammeh   

West African leaders have ended talks in an attempt to persuade Gambian President Yayah Jammeh to step down. But there has been no response yet from Mr Jammeh. 

President of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Marcel de Souza, says the organization is using preventative diplomacy but if it fails military intervention is conceivable. 

Mr. de Souza said they have to use persuasion to get Mr Jammeh to respect the principles. After that, they will see whether they can exert pressure through the UN Security Council, the AU and ECOWAS in order to avoid conflict. 

President Mahama together with Liberian leader Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Sierra Leone's Ernest Bai Koroma and Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari were involved in the talks.

GBC