“This is the strength of the Brics co-operation that we can have this kind of maturity and solidarity in this relationship and ensure that we have a highly successful summit in South Africa with his participation virtually, and that all the issues we have set on the agenda are discussed collectively and we are confident that the summit will be a success,” he said.
“There is no threat of anyone walking out. Unlike the G20, all the Brics leaders will fully embrace the summit.
“This is not unusual. Last year at the G20 in November in Jakarta, President Putin didn’t attend. Again, it was because of his consideration for the good relationship with Indonesia and President Joko Widodo. He didn’t want to collapse that summit because there was a threat that if he attended Western leaders would walk out.
“I think the agreement we have reached as Brics countries in terms of this challenge that we had to address as South Africa, being a party to the Rome Statute and the presence of President Putin in South Africa and the arrest warrant, our president, I think, has done extremely well.”
Ramaphosa has engaged all parties, added Sooklal.
“This decision was not just taken between President Ramaphosa and Putin. Over the past several months our president has engaged with all the Brics leaders on several occasions and spoken to them personally several times discussing this issue.”
The Brics family, he said, is a consensus-based entity.
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Putin to tune in virtually to Brics summit, did not want to 'jeopardise' relations with SA
Image: Dirco.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin will be attending the upcoming Brics summit virtually, because he “did not want to jeopardise” the meeting or “create problems for South Africa”.
This was revealed by South Africa's Brics sherpa, Prof Anil Sooklal, during a briefing on Thursday on the government’s state of readiness to host the 15th Brics summit in August.
“President Putin not being physically present in the summit impacts all of the other leaders as well. I think it shows the maturity and the strength of the partnership, that collectively we could come to a decision that, yes, President Putin understands the dilemma South Africa faces but he didn’t want to jeopardise the summit or create problems for South Africa,” Sooklal said.
On Wednesday the Presidency confirmed Putin will not be attending the summit in person. “By mutual agreement, President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation will not attend the summit but the Russian Federation will be represented by foreign minister Sergei Lavrov,” it said.
Though Russia will be physically represented by Lavrov, Putin will be involved in all the deliberations and sessions during the summit, Sooklal said.
Putin not coming to South Africa, says Presidency
“This is the strength of the Brics co-operation that we can have this kind of maturity and solidarity in this relationship and ensure that we have a highly successful summit in South Africa with his participation virtually, and that all the issues we have set on the agenda are discussed collectively and we are confident that the summit will be a success,” he said.
“There is no threat of anyone walking out. Unlike the G20, all the Brics leaders will fully embrace the summit.
“This is not unusual. Last year at the G20 in November in Jakarta, President Putin didn’t attend. Again, it was because of his consideration for the good relationship with Indonesia and President Joko Widodo. He didn’t want to collapse that summit because there was a threat that if he attended Western leaders would walk out.
“I think the agreement we have reached as Brics countries in terms of this challenge that we had to address as South Africa, being a party to the Rome Statute and the presence of President Putin in South Africa and the arrest warrant, our president, I think, has done extremely well.”
Ramaphosa has engaged all parties, added Sooklal.
“This decision was not just taken between President Ramaphosa and Putin. Over the past several months our president has engaged with all the Brics leaders on several occasions and spoken to them personally several times discussing this issue.”
The Brics family, he said, is a consensus-based entity.
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Support independent journalism by subscribing to TimesLIVE Premium. Just R80 per month.
READ MORE:
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ANC relieved Putin headache has 'finally been laid to rest'
Political parties react to Putin’s non-attendance at Brics summit
Arresting Putin would be declaration of war with Russia: Cyril Ramaphosa
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