France was asked to intervene by Mali’s government
Come up with some evidence to support this claim.
1. France has answered a request for assistance issued by the interim president of the Republic of Mali .
2. France is therefore not coming in uninvited .
3. Malis President Traore directly appealed to French President Hollande to provide French military assistance against these terrorist groups that have attacked our front lines of defense .
4. As the former colonial power in much of West Africa , including Mali , France is the obvious country to turn to for help .
5. As a result of this colonial past Mali is a member of the French led Organisation internationale de la Francophonie .
6. Mali is therefore fully within its sovereign rights to ask for assistance and Hollande is right to agree to provide it .
7. Lynch , Colum , Frances U.N. envoy : French military intervention in Mali is open ended , , 11 January 2013 , Welcome to the International Organisation of La Francophonies official website