The purpose of the US top official's visit, it was learnt, is to provide recommendations on how to restore democracy in the West African country, adding what is at stake in terms of economic help and other aid if the situation is not reversed.
The United States Acting Deputy Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland arrived in Niamey, the capital of Niger Republic on Monday and held a meeting with Moussa Salaou Barmou, the self-proclaimed defence chief of Niger's junta and three other colonels supporting him.
The purpose of the US top official's visit, it was learnt, is to provide recommendations on how to restore democracy in the West African country, adding what is at stake in terms of economic help and other aid if the situation is not reversed.
"These conversations were extremely frank and at times quite difficult, because, again, we're pushing for a negotiated solution. It was not easy to get traction there. They are quite firm in their view of how they want to proceed, and it does not comport with the Constitution of Niger," Reuters quoted the official saying.
"It was difficult today and I will be straight up about that,” she added.
Nuland talked with Barmou and his staff for two hours, including some side chats. Her demands for meetings with deposed President Mohamed Bazoum and junta commander Abdourahamane Tiani were denied.
The coup, the sixth in West and Central Africa in three years, has shook the Sahel area, one of the world's poorest. Niger is important to the United States, Europe, China, and Russia because of its uranium and oil reserves, as well as its crucial role in the fight against Islamist extremists.
Niger is more than twice the size of France, and many African aircraft patterns would ordinarily fly above it.
It was unclear how or when additional talks with junta leaders would resume.
"This was a first conversation in which the United States was offering its good offices. If there is a desire on the part of the people who are responsible for this to return to constitutional order, we are prepared to help with that, we are prepared to help address concerns on all sides. I would not say that we were in any way taken up on that offer but I hope that they will think about it," Nuland said.
The Economic Community of West African nations (ECOWAS), which has in the past dispatched military forces into problematic member nations, had instructed the junta to leave by Sunday, but coup leaders instead blocked Niger's airspace and vowed to protect the country.