France has rejected Niger’s accusation that it was behind a failed military mutiny in Niamey, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot describing the claims as “pure fantasies” as tensions between the former allies reach another boiling point.
In an interview with RFI, Barrot was asked about Niger’s allegation that France participated in or supported the attempted coup.
He dismissed the claim, saying there was “neither intention nor means” that France could have had or used for such an operation.
He added that the accusation was, as usual, another attempt to wrongly assign responsibility to France for events in Niger.
"These are nothing but pure fantasies. There is neither intention nor means that France could have or would have used. All of this is, as usual, a way of wrongly pointing the finger at a responsibility of France that simply does not exist." Barrot stated.
