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US ambassador to Pretoria summoned after saying he was assured {that a} Russian ship had collected weapons from South Africa.
South African officers have hit again at US accusations {that a} Russian ship collected weapons from a naval base close to Cape City late final yr.
The US Ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety mentioned on Thursday he was assured {that a} Russian ship beneath US sanctions took on board weapons from the Simon’s City base in December, suggesting the switch was not consistent with Pretoria’s stance of neutrality in Russia’s warfare in opposition to Ukraine.
Western diplomats had been alarmed at South Africa finishing up naval workouts with Russia and China this yr, and on the timing of a go to by Russian International Minister Sergei Lavrov.
South Africa is one in every of Russia’s most essential allies on a continent divided over its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, however has mentioned it’s neutral and has abstained from voting on UN resolutions on the warfare.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday mentioned the battle in Ukraine in a cellphone name with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Kremlin mentioned.
Ramaphosa’s workplace mentioned on Thursday that an inquiry led by a retired choose would look into the US allegation. On Friday, a minister liable for arms management and a international ministry spokesman mentioned South Africa had not accredited any arms cargo to Russia in December.
“We didn’t approve any arms to Russia … it wasn’t sanctioned or accredited by us,” Communications Minister Mondli Gungubele, who chaired the Nationwide Standard Arms Management Committee when the purported cargo passed off, advised 702 radio.
He didn’t say whether or not or not an unapproved cargo had left South Africa.
South Africa’s defence division mentioned on Friday it could give its facet of the story to the federal government’s inquiry.
Ambassador summoned
Brigety was summoned on Friday by the South African international ministry, which “expressed the federal government’s utter displeasure together with his conduct and statements made yesterday” a press release from the ministry mentioned.
It mentioned Brigety “admitted that he crossed the road and apologised unreservedly to the federal government and the folks of South Africa”.
There was no fast remark from the US Division of State.
White Home Nationwide Safety Council spokesman John Kirby on Friday declined to get into the precise allegations in opposition to South Africa, however reiterated Washington’s place about any nation aiding the Russian warfare effort.
After leaving Simon’s City, Refinitiv delivery knowledge confirmed the vessel, the “Girl R”, sailed north to Mozambique, spending January 7 to 11 within the port of Beira earlier than persevering with to Port Sudan on the Purple Sea.
It arrived within the Russian port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea on February 16, the information confirmed.
The Related Press information company reported that data confirmed that the Girl R was tied to an organization that was sanctioned by the US for transporting weapons for the Russian authorities and aiding its warfare effort.
Washington has warned that international locations offering materials assist to Russia could also be denied entry to US markets.
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