US Assistant Secretary of State meets Niger military leaders amidst stalled coup resolution efforts

Victoria Nuland, the Assistant Secretary of State for the United States, revealed on Monday that her meeting with military leaders in Niger yielded no immediate progress towards resolving the ongoing coup crisis.

Nuland, speaking via phone from Niamey, the capital of Niger, informed reporters that she had engaged in talks with top military leaders in the country for over two hours.

She elaborated that these discussions were characterized by frankness and occasional difficulties. 

"This was the first conversation in which the United States presented its goodwill efforts if there is a willingness among those responsible for this situation to return to constitutional normalcy," she stated.

She pointed out that the offer did not find acceptance.

Nuland disclosed that she met with General Moussa Salou Barma, who was newly appointed as the head of the armed forces, along with other leaders.

She further revealed that the military group did not respond to her request for a meeting with their commander, General Abdulrahman Tiani, nor did they comply with her request for a meeting with the detained president, Mohamed Bazoum. It is worth noting that American officials had engaged in telephone conversations with Bazoum.

Nuland conveyed that she presented "a number of options" to end the coup.

She affirmed that she underscored the consequences on the relationship with the United States if the coup perpetrators do not restore power to Bazoum, or if they follow the path of neighboring countries in collaborating with the Russian Wagner Group mercenaries.

"I hope the door to diplomacy remains open. We've made that offer. We'll see," she added.

Nuland mentioned that Barma is well-informed about cooperation with the United States due to his previous engagement with special forces.

She emphasized that the Niger coup leaders "very well understand the risks to their sovereignty when Wagner is summoned" to the country.

In conclusion, the meeting between Victoria Nuland, the US Assistant Secretary of State, and the military leaders in Niger did not result in immediate progress towards resolving the coup crisis. The discussions were marked by their candid nature, and Nuland presented potential options to end the coup. The response of the military group and the lingering uncertainty surrounding the situation underscore the complexity of the ongoing crisis in Niger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFP