West African states will uphold sanctions on Mali until it appoints a civilian prime minister, the leader of the ECOWAS regional bloc leader said Friday. The 15-nation Economic Community of West African States slapped sanctions on Mali after the August 18 military coup, which toppled president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The sanctions "will be lifted when a civilian prime minister is named," ECOWAS Commission President Jean-Claude Kassi Brou said. sd/lal/eml/ach