South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani discussed the Ukraine conflict, with both parties agreeing that it should be resolved through the office of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the South African presidency said on Thursday.
"The President and His Highness also discussed the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Both South Africa and Qatar expressed related positions on the conflict, which is to support a peaceful resolution through diplomacy, inclusive political dialogue, and negotiations, preferably facilitated through the Office of the United Nations Secretary-General," the South African presidency's office said in a statement following Ramaphosa's visit to Qatar from November 14-15.
Ramaphosa also briefed the Qatari emir about the African peace initiative on Ukraine, it added.
South Africa was one of the seven African countries that pitched a peace plan initiative to both Russia and Ukraine. A top-level delegation visited Moscow and Kiev in June to discuss the 10-point plan based on security guarantees, freedom of Black Sea grain exports, release of prisoners and the start of peace talks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the delegation that no peace talks would be possible until Russia withdrew its forces. Russian President Vladimir Putin said some of the points in the African initiative were in line with Moscow's stance and that talks should continue.