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| 2003/08/03 |
US warns Niger to stay away from row
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09:03:17 �.�
London, Aug 3 - The United States has warned Niger to keep out of a row over disputed claims that Iraq sought to buy uranium from the west African state, the Sunday Telegraph reported.
Quoting senior Niger government officials, the British newspaper said Herman Cohen, a former US assistant Secretary of State for Africa, called on Mamadou Tandja, Niger's President, in the capital Niamey last week to relay the message from Washington.
One official told the Telegraph: "Let's say Mr Cohen put a friendly arm around the president.... but then squeezed his shoulder hard enough to convey the message, 'let's hear no more about this affair from your government'.
Basically he was telling Niger to shut up."
The American intervention reflects growing concern about the continuing row over claims that the US and Britain distorted evidence to justify the war against Iraq launched in March, according to the right-wing British weekly.
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