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Niger's ambassador to Canada says she is offended by speculation that her country's government might have been involved in abducting Canadian diplomats Robert Fowler and Louis Guay.

The two Canadians disappeared Dec. 14 while on a low-key but high-level UN mission to explore possible peace talks between Niger's government and Tuareg rebels. But no one has come forward to claim responsibility or demand ransom.

On Wednesday, Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister, Lawrence Cannon, would not rule out the possibility that Niger's authorities abducted the pair.

Rebel groups have sought to cast blame on the government of President Mamadou Tandja, suggesting they are embarrassed by Mr. Fowler's mission.

"That's offensive. It's offensive. Everyone knows that is not a practice of Niger's government," said Niger's ambassador to Canada, Nana Foumakoye.

"If the government wanted to stop him, if Mr. Fowler was an embarrassing element, from the beginning they would not have accepted him being appointed to Niger. Because before being named a special UN envoy, they had to request the approval of the Niger's government, which accepted."

She noted that Mr. Fowler has visited Niger more than once and has met with senior government officials, who were very interested in his mission - and could have stopped it by diplomatic channels it if they opposed it.

"That's the wolf crying wolf," she said of rebel groups' suggestion the government could be to blame. "I don't see why Niger would do it."

She said she had not heard the comments of Mr. Cannon, who, when asked about speculation Niger's government could be involved, said that Canadian authorities would not exclude any "hypothesis."

"I do not see how anyone could have the slightest doubt toward Niger with respect to this event," Ms. Foumakoye said. "I must say I don't understand it."

She said that so far, the only lead was the website posting of a claim of responsibility by an offshoot Tuareg rebel group, the Front des Forces de Redressement, but that was immediately denied by the FFR's leaders.

"It's a mystery up to now. The situation has not evolved," she said. "There has not been a lead that says it was such-and-such a group that kidnapped them, or what happened. The reasons for the disappearance remain unknown."