As six African nations prepare to lead a peace mission to Moscow and Kyiv, Russian President Vladimir Putin has given his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa four points on what it will take for his country to reach a negotiated settlement.
These, said ANC deputy subcommittee chair Obed Bapela, would be used to canvass other world leaders and the UN on bringing all parties, including the US, Nato, Russia and Ukraine, to the negotiation table.
“The [ANC] president, in his capacity as president of South Africa, is to engage and raise the four Russian points, in addition to those of China, on various platforms, including at a meeting with the secretary-general of the UN and to engage as he did with President Putin of Russia and President [Volodymyr] Zelensky of Ukraine,” he said.
Bapela said the points were given to an ANC delegation he led during a working visit with the United Russia Party in Moscow between March 30 and April 2.
“The points given to the South African delegation which have now been presented to the ANC president include that [it is Russia's] view that the war in Ukraine is a war against the expansion of Nato and their building of a war arsenal, weapons in the zone or backyard to Russia,” Bapela said.
Russia wants Nato to dismantle weaponry and war arsenals out of the zone as this is “provocation and a sign of aggression”.
“They gave the example: if Russia agreed to establish its military establishment in Mexico, the US would see this as provocation and attack Mexico for allowing it.”
The third point Russia made was that a demilitarisation programme in Ukraine must be agreed upon in talks.
“The reason is that many mercenaries have entered Ukraine, armed bandits in that country and the Nato forces,” the ANC was told.
Last, Russia called for the Minsk agreement, signed when the Soviet Union disestablished into independent countries, Russia included, to be revisited.
“This is to assess which one we implemented and which one’s outstanding. For example, the Warsaw Pact was disestablished and Nato was supposed to have been disestablished.”
While it was agreed talks would ultimately bring a ceasefire, parties understood that other countries' points would be included on the agenda.
Bapela said during its recent national executive committee meeting, the ANC resolved to pursue peace missions to engage international friends, political parties and governments for an end to the war.
China has outlined a 12-point political settlement that it wants addressed when parties meet. The points raised by the country are:
- respecting the sovereignty of all countries;
- abandoning the Cold War mentality;
- ceasing hostilities;
- resuming peace talks;
- resolving the humanitarian crisis;
- protecting civilians and prisoners of war (POWs);
- keeping nuclear power plants safe;
- reducing strategic risks;
- facilitating grain exports;
- stopping unilateral sanctions;
- keeping industrial and supply chains stable; and
- promoting post-conflict reconstruction.
The negotiations come at a time when South Africa is scrambling to repair ties with superpower the US after its ambassador, Reuben Brigety, accused the government of arming Russia.
Ramaphosa has instituted an inquiry, to be headed by an independent judge, to get to the bottom of the allegations. The government has denied Brigety’s claims.
On Tuesday, Ramaphosa told Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that African heads of states are preparing to undertake a peace mission to Russia and Ukraine in a bid to end to the conflict.
The president said he telephonically presented an African leaders peace mission to Putin on Friday and Zelensky on Saturday.
Ramaphosa did this on behalf of African leaders from Zambia, Senegal, Congo, Uganda, Egypt and South Africa.
“The two leaders agreed they will be willing to receive the mission and the African heads of state in both Moscow and Kyiv,” he said.
“I agreed with both that we will commence with preparations for engagements with the African heads of state. The secretary-general of the UN and the AU office were briefed and welcomed the initiative.”
Zelensky said during the phone call he warned Ramaphosa against “arming the aggressor”.
“I spoke about the peace formula, about justice and that our world should be united by the rules of international law. Anyone who helps the aggressor with a weapon will be an accomplice with all the consequences.
“I called on Mr President [Ramaphosa] to join together with other countries, all continents and Africa to work to implement our peace formula,” said Zelensky.
Meanwhile, the ANC this week met Brigety and the Russian Federation’s Ilya Rogachev at party headquarters Luthuli House to engage on matters of mutual interest.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.