US held 'frank, difficult' talks in with Niger coup leaders: Nuland
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Acting US Deputy Secretary of State says Niger's coups leaders are firm in their view on how they want to proceed.
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Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland with Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Celeste Wallander, back left, testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on countering Russian aggression on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023 (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Acting US Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland revealed that she was in Niger along with a US delegation and met with several coup leaders.
"We met with the self-proclaimed chief of defense of this operation, General [Moussa Salaou] Barmou, and three of the colonels supporting him," Nuland told reporters during a teleconference.
"I will say that these conversations were extremely frank and at times quite difficult because, again, we were pushing for a negotiated solution. It was not easy to get traction there."
Niger's military leaders are quite firm in their view on how they want to proceed, and it does not comport with the constitution of Niger, Nuland pointed out.
She claimed that the US delegation was frank about what’s at stake for the country if power is not returned to President Mohamed Bazoum, adding that Washington is keeping open the door to diplomacy.
Moreover, Nuland indicated that the US delegation made multiple requests to meet directly with Bazoum, who is detained by the coup leaders, but it was never granted.
The US delegation was also not granted an opportunity to meet with Niger's self-proclaimed President Abdourahamane Tiani, the acting US Deputy Secretary of State revealed.
Nuland said she also raised matters concerning the Wagner private military company, saying that she got the sense that coup leaders understood "very well the risks to their sovereignty when Wagner is invited in."
Elsewhere, the US official noted that General Barmou is somebody who has worked very closely with US Special Forces over many years, so both sides were able to go through in considerable detail the risks to aspects of cooperation between the United States and Niger.
On July 26, Niger's presidential guard ousted and detained Bazoum. Tchiani proclaimed himself the president of the caretaker Nigerien National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland-led government.
On July 31, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) condemned the coup, suspended financial aid to the country, and gave Niger's coup leaders one week to reinstate the detained president, or the community would use "all measures," including military, to "restore order" in the African nation.
On their part, the military governments of Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger's neighbors, warned that any military intervention against Niger would be considered a declaration of war against them.
Read more: Niger coup leaders say some preparing for military intervention
