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Niger’s military rulers ordered the French ambassador to leave the country in the next 48 hours, but said a letter calling for a similar order for the US ambassador was fake.
A US State Department spokesperson said “no such request has been made to the US government,” Reuters news agency reported.
The spokersperson added that Niger’s Foreign Ministry told the US government that a widely-circulated letter online, calling for the US ambassador to be expelled, was not released by it.
Reports earlier stated that Niger’s coup leaders had asked ambassadors of Germany, France, US and Nigeria to leave the country in the next 48 hours.
The statements floating online were similar to the official one — and the only real one issued so far — calling for the French ambassador to leave.
It is not yet clear whether the German and Nigerian ambassadors have been asked to leave.
What the military junta said on France
The junta said the French ambassador had refused an invitation to meet with Niger’s foreign minister on Friday.
The junta-led Foreign Ministry said the actions of the French government were “contrary to the interests of Niger.”
But France said Niger’s “putschists have no authority” to expel its ambassador in Niamey.
“The putschists do not have the authority to make this request, the ambassador’s approval coming solely from the legitimate elected Nigerien authorities,” Paris said, adding: “We are constantly evaluating the security and operating conditions of our embassy.”
rm/sri (Reuters, dpa, AFP)
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