Sarkozy Mali trip sparks protests

Protesters carry a banner reading "Get out, Sarko!"

Hundreds of Malians have marched in the capital, Bamako, to protest against the visit of hardline French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy.

The march follows a statement from Malian MPs, calling on Mr Sarkozy to call off his "undesirable" visit.

Mr Sarkozy arrived in Mali on Wednesday at the start of visit to West Africa.

He is to hold talks with the leaders of Mali and Benin, after a tough immigration bill was strongly backed by French MPs on Wednesday.

The bill, which must also be passed by the French Senate, offers residence permits to highly qualified newcomers from outside the European Union.

It requires immigrants from outside the EU to sign a contract agreeing to learn French and to respect the principles of the French Republic, and makes it more difficult for them to bring their families over to join them.

Mr Sarkozy says he wants to reduce illegal immigration, and has been behind the deportation of many Malians.

Ahead of his arrival, more than 20 MPs said he should not visit Mali.

'Provocation'

Wednesday's march to the French embassy was organised by the Association of Malians Expelled from France, which is also calling for a sit-in on Thursday in front of the hotel where Mr Sarkozy is staying.

FRENCH BILL Only the qualified get "skills and talents" residency permit Foreigners only allowed in to work, not live off benefits Foreign spouses to wait longer for residence cards Migrants must agree to learn French Migrants must sign 'contract' respecting French way of life Scraps law on workers getting citizenship after 10 years

They held banners reading "Sarkozy, neo-Nazi" and "Immediate halt to deportations".

One of the MPs who called for Mr Sarkozy to cancel his visit joined the march.

"We are indignant about this visit and we honestly think that the arrival of Mr Nicolas Sarkozy in our country at this time is purely and simply a provocation," said the MPs, who come from two regions - Kayes and Gao.

Many of the Malians living in France come from the western region of Kayes, while Gao is at a key staging post on the migration route from West Africa across the Sahara desert to Morocco and then Europe.

Nicolas Sarkozy wants to deport more illegal immigrants

"We ask Malian members of parliament and all Malians who love peace and justice to act so that Mr Sarkozy cancels his 17 May trip," the MPs said.

The French bill has also attracted controversy in France. Socialist MP Serge Blisko said it amounted to "the organised pillaging of brains", and the French anti-racism organisation SOS Racisme has called it "dangerous".

Mr Sarkozy, the son of a Hungarian immigrant, has praised the contribution of skilled migrants to France but insists that those who entered illegally must be sent back.

Police sources say that planes carrying deportees arrive in Mali every day, some carrying 70 people expelled from France.

In the 1990s, many Malians were outraged when France used charter flights to deport illegal immigrants.