Cote d'Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara said on Friday that an intervention by the sub-regional force in Mali, a country which is partially occupied by rebel groups, "is not far" because the UN Security Council has already authorized the move.

Ouattara who is also the current chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), was speaking in Abidjan when he addressed a press conference at the end of a visit by Senegalese President Macky Sall.

On Oct. 12, the Security Council adopted a resolution that was in conformity with the "pertinent decision" of ECOWAS, which authorizes the deployment of an armed force to restore Mali's territorial integrity.

Ouattara noted that a "strategic plan" was proposed by a committee of ECOWAS military commanders after several meetings.

The ECOWAS Mission to Mali (MICEMA) is expected to be comprised of 3,000 soldiers.

The Senegalese president who also addressed the press conference, expressed "satisfaction" for the "positive role" that is being played by ECOWAS in resolving sub-regional conflicts.

Sall said that he was "convinced" that ECOWAS will achieve "tangible results" in Mali and in Guinea-Bissau.

Regarding the bilateral relations between Cote d'Ivoire and Senegal, Sall said that his visit was an indication of "his desire to consolidate the cooperation between the two countries."

The two leaders agreed to revive the meetings of the Cote d'Ivoire-Senegal joint cooperation commission which has never met since the end of 1970s. The final statement said that the commission will have to meet before the end of the first half of 2013.

Sall who returned to his country on Friday afternoon, had arrived in Abidjan on Thursday to participate in the 58th Congress of Liberal International.