LONDON. June 5: Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan said in London yesterday that he hoped the current crisis in Sierra Leone could be resolved by negotiations, but he refused to rule out a military intervention in the conflict-stricken Western African country. reports Xinhua.

Speaking at a press briefing after talks with British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, Annan said that he preferred a peaceful solution to the stand-off between Sierra Leone armed forces and Nigerian troops trying to restore the ousted Sierra Leone president.

"Ideally. I would prefer negotiations. It must be clear to the coup leaders that they don't have the support of the people they don't have the support of their neighbors, they don't have the support of the region and they don't have the support of the international community. Annan said.

"How they expect to survive I do not know. I wish they would be sensible and cut their losses and walk away," he added.

Asked whether a multinational armed force could be sent to Sierra Leone, the UN chief said, "if use of force become a last resort and is inevitable, it may have to come to that.

During the one-hour meeting between Annan and Cook, they also exchanged views on the reforms of the United Nations and other international issues.

AFP adds, a Nigerian military government delegation has assured the new junta leaders in Sierra Leone that no new Nigerian-led military intervention is planned imminently, state radio said late Wednesday.

Broadcasting a statement issued by the Armed Forces Revo-lutionary Council (AFRC) which ousted elected President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah on May 25. the radio said the delegation "allayed fears of any military intervention in the making."