South Africa asks to send Foreign Minister instead of Putin to summit
Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa, has requested that the Russian delegation at the BRICS summit in August is headed by Serey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, instead of President Vladimir Putin. Paul Mashatile, Deputy President of South Africa, has reported that the request had been denied.
Source: media outlets Mail & Guardian, RBK
Quote: "We understand we are bound by the Rome Statute, but we can’t invite someone and then arrest them. You can understand our dilemma. We would be happy if he [Putin – ed.] didn’t come."
Details: At the same time, he added that the discussions with Putin concerning his presence at the summit are ongoing.
Mashatile added that India and Brazil had turned down the option of changing the location of the summit to China.
Background:
- On 17 March, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights.
- If they come to the territory of an ICC member-country which has ratified the Rome Statute, they would have to be arrested and handed over to the court.
- On 25 April, Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, stated that the ruling political party of South Africa had adopted the decision about the country's exit from under the jurisdiction of the ICC.
- South Africa has granted diplomatic immunity to all officials invited to the BRICS summit, including Putin.
- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says Vladimir Putin will attend the BRICS summit in August in person; the Kremlin says it has not yet been decided.
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