“President Cyril #Ramaphosa has embarked on a “course correction”, despatching special envoys to the #G7 countries to try to counter the damaging impression that #SouthAfrica has become pro-#Russia|n.
A growing opinion in the government and the #ANC — which Ramaphosa himself apparently shares — that Russian President Vladimir #Putin should not come to South Africa in August to attend the #BRICS summit appears to be part of the same rethink.”
2/ […]
“Some Western diplomats are sceptical about Ramaphosa’s diplomatic charm offensive changing perceptions about SA’s Russia stance.
One said that the G7 countries did not need envoys to explain SA’s #nonaligned stance, but needed Pretoria to act in line with this professed stance.”
3/
“Another saw Ramaphosa’s despatch of the special envoys as largely a “course correction” after the #LadyR incident, the naval exercise and the possibility Putin might attend the BRICS Summit in person. But this diplomat wondered what substance the special enjoys would put into this course correction.”
4/
“In her conversations with G7 foreign ministers so far, #Pandor has evidently been told very clearly that the six #Africa|n presidents’ peace initiative is a non-starter if it does not respect #Ukraine’s #sovereignty and territorial integrity. In other words, no peace plan will be accepted unless it is based on #Moscow returning to Ukraine the approximately 18% of its territory which Russian troops now #occupy.”
Stephan Lichtenauer | נח סתו