The United States Government has held face-to-face talks with the military leaders of Niger Republic responsible for the July coup.
This was disclosed by the US Acting Deputy Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland, who revealed that the conversations had been “extremely frank and at times quite difficult”.
The talks which held for more than two hours marks the first official meeting with the junta after ignoring the ultimatum issued by the West African bloc, ECOWAS.
Nuland revealed that she offered the junta a number of options to resolve the crisis through diplomacy in order to get back on track with the US, which had halted all foreign aids to the Western African State.
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“This was a first conversation in which the United States was offering its good offices if there is a desire on the part of the people who are responsible for this to return to the constitutional order, she said.
“I would not say that we were in any way taken up on that offer.”
The US envoy added that she had met the newly military chief of staff, Brigadier General Moussa Salaou Barmou, but not with the self-proclaimed new leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, or with the ousted democratically elected leader, Mohamed Bazoum, after her requests to meet both officials were denied.
Bazoum has been kept in detention since the July coup but has spoken with the US by phone.
According to Nuland, she warned the coup leaders against inviting Russia’s Wagner mercenary group for assistance, taking after neighbouring country, Mali.
She said, “The people who have taken this action here understand very well the risks to their sovereignty when Wagner is invited in.”
Victoria Nuland, who took over from Wendy Sherman in July 24, is known for her tough stand on matters involving Russia after her leaked call with the US ambassador to Ukraine during the Obama administration.
The US envoy is known for her Foreign Affairs essay, “Pinning Down Putin” which she penned in 2020 and for calling Putin a “19th century autocrat” earlier this year, saying, “If we don’t (defeat Putin), every other autocrat on this planet is going to go looking to bite off pieces of countries and destabilise the order that has largely kept us safe and prosperous for decades and decades.”
The French government has also affirmed its stand on the Niger coup, stating that it would firmly support whatever move the ECOWAS took after its Sunday ultimatum expired.
The junta had said it seized power due to the economic situation of the country and insecurity, which is in contrast to reports that the coup leader, General Tchiani, was about to be sacked.