Mali's secretary general for the presidency Berthe Baba, has insisted on the need for "sub-regional solidarity" to save the northern parts of Mali.

Baba who was speaking in Abidjan on Wednesday, did not rule out the military option in case of the failure of negotiations with the armed groups that are currently controlling the northern parts of the country.

He was addressing the media after holding talks with the Cote d'Ivoire President's Alassane Ouattara who is also the serving chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The meeting came just a day after the announcement by a French diplomat that his country will consider offering support to the Malian authorities in their bid to restore the country's territorial integrity.

"President Dioncounda Traore asked me to come and speak with his counterpart, Ouattara, and seek the sub-regional support from ECOWAS as we also seek support from the African Union and the United Nations," Baba said.

"The phase of negotiation always precedes the military option, and currently we are still holding discussions with some contacts, " he said and added "if the negotiations have a positive result, then the military option will not be necessary."

"If the negotiations are not conclusive, then we must consider the military option that is being drawn up," Baba affirmed.

For the past few months, the military chiefs from ECOWAS region have been discussing the possibility of deploying in Mali an ECOWAS standby force of 3,000 soldiers.

"The possible options will obviously be drafted with the Malian authorities which will exactly state what is needed," the Malian envoy told Ouattara.