Tuareg rebels in northern Mali proclaimed independence on Friday, and asked for international recognition of their so-called “Azawad” nation.

The African Union quickly rejected the rebels' declaration, dismissing it as “null and of no value whatsoever.”

Former colonial power France also rejected the rebels' move. French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet said a unilateral declaration of independence that is not recognized by African countries has no meaning.

In a statement on their website declaring independence, the rebels of The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, or MNLA, said they would respect borders with other states.

The MNLA declared a cease-fire on Thursday, saying it had accomplished its goal.

In a fast-moving offensive, the Tuareg rebels, along with Islamist fighters, seized the Malian cities of Kidal, Gao and Timbuktu over a three-day period beginning last Friday.

It is unclear if the Islamist militant group Ansar Dine, which fought alongside the rebels, will also put down its weapons. The group, which has been linked to the al-Qaida branch in northern Africa, has imposed Islamic law in some areas.

Meanwhile, pressure continues to mount against renegade Malian soldiers who seized power from President Amadou Toumani Toure on March 22. The soldiers accused the president of failing to equip the army to fight the rebels.

This week, the African Union and Economic Community of West African States imposed diplomatic financial sanctions against Mali and the coup leaders, and are demanding a return to civilian rule.

The country's main political parties have rejected a call by military junta leaders for a “national convention” to sort out the country's political and security problems.

The FDR coalition of 50 political and civil society groups said Wednesday that such a convention would not be compatible with a return to constitutional order.

The heavily armed Tuareg rebels arrived in northern Mali after the fall of Moammar Gadhafi in Libya, and launched an insurgency in mid-January. Tuareg separatists have been seeking autonomy in both Mali and Niger for decades.