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Has South Africa's Position on Ukraine Changed? Pandor Said It All, Pretoria Insists

16:41, 28 June 2023

Maxim Grishenkin

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The German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock alleged during a visit to Pretoria that "the long efforts in diplomacy are paying off, since the voice of South Africa [on Ukraine conflict], in my opinion, has already changed."

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South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor expressed Pretoria's position on the Ukrainian crisis during a meeting with her German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, the South African Embassy in Moscow told Sputnik Africa.

The embassy's comments come after the German top diplomat claimed that "South Africa's voice [on the situation in Ukraine] has changed."

"The South African Embassy wishes to recommend that you consider posing this question to the German authorities instead since the question is based on Minister Baerbock's statement not on the statement by the South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr. Naledi Pandor. Dr Pandor articulated South Africa's position on the matter pertaining to your question again during the meeting with her German counterpart," the South African Embassy in Russia said in a statement to Sputnik Africa.

Sub-Saharan Africa

South Africa's 'Voice' on Ukraine Crisis Changed, German Top Diplomat Claims

28 June 2023, 10:38

What Did Pandor Say?

In her meeting with Baerbock, Foreign Minister Pandor commented on the Ukraine crisis, reiterating South Africa's neutral stance on the issue.

"We need to be even-handed. All we said, we would like to be supportive of a process of diplomacy that leads to a peaceful outcome," Pandor said.

The top diplomat added that any negotiations must "respect the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity," which are part of the UN charter.

According to Pandor, it should be appreciated that African leaders were able to meet with Putin and Zelensky as part of the African Peace Initiative since "it is very difficult to find parties that can engage with them two."

The foreign minister of South Africa also pointed out that it is unacceptable to pressure other countries.

"You should not have any situation where you feel you can compel another to follow you or become angry because they do not. Because it is wrong," Pandor stated. "It's vital that we all accept what our different foreign policies might be."

In May, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stressed that Pretoria had been under "extraordinary pressure" to renounce its position of neutrality and choose sides in the confrontation between Russia and the West.