JOHANNESBURG — South Africa mentioned on Thursday it should host the BRICS bloc summit in August as deliberate, amid hypothesis that it might transfer to China so Russia’s President Vladimir Putin can attend in a nation not obliged to arrest him on warfare crimes accusations.
South Africa has an obligation as a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to arrest Putin if he attends the talks between the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China, as a result of an arrest warrant over the deportation of youngsters from Ukraine.
Putin denies the fees.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa met with him on June 17 in Russia, traditionally a powerful ally of the governing African National Congress (ANC) because it was a liberation motion combating white minority rule a long time in the past.
“South Africa will host the 15th BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Sandton, Johannesburg, from 22 to 24 August 2023,” the Department of International Relations mentioned in a press release.
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed to Reuters in a textual content message that this meant the entire summit, together with the primary half involving the BRICS heads of state, would happen in South Africa.
He and a spokesperson for the worldwide relations division declined to touch upon whether or not or not Putin will attend.
South African officers had on the finish of final month mentioned the BRICS nations had been contemplating transferring the summit to China, which isn’t a member of the worldwide court docket. They may nonetheless resolve to alter the venue on the final minute.
On Tuesday, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor mentioned Putin had not but replied to an invite, despatched earlier than the ICC charged him on March 18.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are all planning to attend, Pandor mentioned.
South Africa says it’s impartial within the Ukraine battle, however has been criticized by Western powers for being pleasant to Russia, together with internet hosting Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and conducting joint naval workouts. — Reuters
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
