France on Friday rejected a move by Niger's junta to scrap bilateral military pacts, saying only the west African country's "legitimate" leadership was entitled to do so. Meanwhile a regional Ecowas delegation quit the country after failing to secure the return to power of Niger's elected government.
"The legal framework of France's defence agreement with Niger is based on accords that were signed with the legitimate Nigerien authorities," the foreign ministry said, after the junta in Niamey said it was cancelling military cooperation agreements with Paris.
