(SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRESIDENT FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, SAYING: “As you know right now, terrorists entered a hotel in Bamako and took hostages. I am constantly in touch with Mali authorities. I just spoke on the phone with President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita from Mali and I assured him that France is available and ready to support Mali’s forces and needed help. The assault occurred and we will do what has to be done with our forces on the ground to free those hostages. Once again, terrorists want to mark with their barbarous presence on every location where they can kill, where they can impress and murder. So we need once again to be firm and show our solidarity towards our friend, the country of Mali. Especially that in this hotel in Bamako there are tourists, people in charge of businesses, of different nationalities, because the country (Mali) needs their support to rebuild and develop.” (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER, LAURENT FABIUS, SAYING: “These attacks will not go unpunished and our response is and will be strong. And at the very moment when I am speaking we know that another attack has taken place in Bamako in Mali and obviously I am in close touch with our ambassador in Mali and with my staff in Paris.”