MOSCOW: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is in Russia as part of a peace-seeking delegation, on Saturday told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that the conflict in Ukraine had to stop.
“This war has to have an end... It must be settled through negotiations and through diplomatic means,” said Ramaphosa.
He added that his delegation, consisting of seven African leaders, “came with a very clear message: that this war has to be ended.”
“This war is having a negative impact on the African continent and indeed on many other countries around the world,” Ramaphosa said ahead of formal talks with the Russian president.
On Friday, the delegation held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.
“We have come to listen to you and through you to hear the voice of the Russian people,” said Comoros President Azali Assoumani, who currently heads the African Union.
“We wanted to encourage you to enter into negotiations with Ukraine,” he said.
African countries have been divided over their response to the conflict, with some siding with Ukraine, while others have remained neutral or gravitated toward Moscow.
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South Africa’s Ramaphosa tells Putin ‘war has to have an end’
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South Africa’s Ramaphosa tells Putin ‘war has to have an end’
- "This war has to have an end... It must be settled through negotiations and through diplomatic means," said Ramaphosa
- "This war is having a negative impact on the African continent and indeed on many other countries around the world"
UK condemns 10-year sentence for British couple in Iran
- Craig and Lindsay Foreman had been charged with espionage after Iran accused them of gathering information in several parts of the country
LONDON: British foreign minister Yvette Cooper on Thursday condemned as “totally unjustifiable” the 10-year sentence given to two British nationals detained in Iran, saying the government would continue pressing for their release.
Craig and Lindsay Foreman had been charged with espionage after Iran accused them of gathering information in several parts of the country.
“We will pursue this case relentlessly with the Iranian government until we see Craig and Lindsay Foreman safely returned to the UK and reunited with their family,” Cooper said in a statement.
Joe Bennett, Lindsay’s son, said in a separate statement the couple had appeared at a three-hour trial on October 27 of last year in which they were not allowed to present a defense.
“We have seen no evidence to support the charge of espionage,” he said, adding that the family was deeply concerned about the couple’s welfare and the lack of transparency in the judicial process.
Craig and Lindsay Foreman had been charged with espionage after Iran accused them of gathering information in several parts of the country.
“We will pursue this case relentlessly with the Iranian government until we see Craig and Lindsay Foreman safely returned to the UK and reunited with their family,” Cooper said in a statement.
Joe Bennett, Lindsay’s son, said in a separate statement the couple had appeared at a three-hour trial on October 27 of last year in which they were not allowed to present a defense.
“We have seen no evidence to support the charge of espionage,” he said, adding that the family was deeply concerned about the couple’s welfare and the lack of transparency in the judicial process.
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