'He is a serious person and I am confident he will do so.'
Kanoute caused a major stir at White Hart Lane last month by walking out on the club to play in the tournament in Tunisia.
Spurs tried to block his participation and were incensed because new FIFA rules allowed Kanoute to switch his national allegiance from France - whom he represented at Under-21 level - to Mali.
Kanoute was eligible to play for Mali through his parents.
Spurs will hold talks with Kanoute about his possible involvement in Mali's Olympic Games qualifiers this summer but the player has no regrets about his decision to leave the London club and play in the African Nations Cup.
He insisted: 'Some people criticised me after I announced my decision because they thought I was going to Tunisia just for a holiday.
'Maybe they did not know me very well, because I am a professional who gives his all in every match no matter who it is for.
'I didn't choose Mali to show off or because I thought I didn't have many options with the French team, but simply for sentimental reasons.
'A person cannot forget their roots and after the opportunity FIFA gave me, I thought it was the best thing. I was not hurt by my club because they did not see it as a good thing for me to accept Mali's offer.
'They were defending their interests and me mine. I knew it would all work out in the end.'
Christian Ziege, meanwhile, says he is likely to leave Tottenham and return to his native Germany when his contract runs out at the end of the season.
The injury-prone defender, 32, has spent the past seven seasons abroad with AC Milan, Middlesbrough, Liverpool and Tottenham.
He said: 'I have been living away for seven years now and my children have not lived in their homeland yet.'
Ziege joined Spurs from Liverpool for £4m in July 2001 but a succession of injuries means he has made just 48 appearances for the club.
He has played only three games this season but is now fit again after a serious thigh injury.
