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French Foreign Ministry rejects demand from Nigerien mutineers to recall ambassador

On August 25, the leaders of the Nigerien coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in late July, demanded that the ambassador leave the country within 48 hours

PARIS, August 31. /TASS/. France has rejected the demand from Nigerien mutineers to recall its ambassador as illegitimate, BFMTV television reported, citing a source in the French Foreign Ministry.

"The mutineers have no authority to send such demands as the agreman (consent to receive the ambassador - TASS) is issued only by legally elected authorities of Niger," the Foreign Ministry source said, when asked to comment on the statements from mutinous soldiers that the ambassador had been deprived of diplomatic immunity and was facing expulsion.

The mutineers that have seized power in Niger sent a letter to the French Foreign Ministry on Thursday notifying it that they had instructed security forces to expel the French ambassador, Sylvain Itte. The AFP reported that the letter, which had been sent on Tuesday, said the diplomat failed to comply with the demand to leave the country within the 48, and the deadline had expired on August 28. The letter said the ambassador, therefore, "no longer has privileges and diplomatic immunity as an employee of the embassy." The diplomatic visas held by him and his family members were revoked.

On August 25, the leaders of the Nigerien coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in late July, demanded that the ambassador leave the country within 48 hours. Al Hadath television reported that the ambassador hadn’t responded to a summons to the Nigerien Foreign Ministry, which is controlled by mutinous soldiers, and refused to meet with their representatives. The French Foreign Ministry said then that it viewed the demands as illegitimate. Al Arabiya television earlier reported there are about 20 more staff at the French embassy besides Itte.

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