U.N. chief Ban seeks speedy talks on Mali peacekeepers

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon addresses participants during the signing ceremony of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes, at the African Union headquarters in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa Feburary 24, 2013.

GENEVA (Reuters) - United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon said on Friday talks should be held as soon as possible on deploying a United Nations peacekeeping force in Mali, where French-led forces are pursuing Islamist rebels ousted from cities in the north.

"The idea of deploying United Nations peacekeeping operations, transforming this African-led support mission in Mali, AFISMA, is now being seriously discussed," Ban told a news conference in Geneva.

"Since I have received a letter from interim president (Dioncounda) Traore requesting me and the Security Council to deploy the U.N. peacekeeping operation, I think this should be discussed as soon as possible."

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Mark Heinrich)