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Mabuza reiterates SA’s ‘balanced position’ towards ongoing conflict between Russia-Ukraine

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Deputy President David Mabuza has reiterated government’s position of not taking a side in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Russia invaded Ukraine three weeks ago with President Vladimir Putin saying he was seeking to ‘denazify’ and ‘demilitarise’ Ukraine.

Replying to oral questions during a sitting of parliament on Wednesday, Mabuza says the only sensible approach in addressing the conflict is through diplomatic means.

He says South Africa stands by what he calls its ‘balanced position’ towards the ongoing fight between Ukraine and Russia.

“We want to re-emphasise the underlying principle of our foreign policy and our foreign relations. We are committed as a country to justice and international law in the conduct of relations between nations. We are committed to international peace and to internally agree upon mechanisms that will resolve conflicts. As we stated South Africa has taken a balanced position that emphasises the de-escalation of the conflict and war through peaceful negotiations and through diplomatic dialogue,” says Mabuza.

Mabuza says the country’s historical relationship with Russia including the BRICS countries has nothing to do with the position South Africa has taken regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“Yes, we have got strong relations with the then soviet union, the Russian federation. We are cooperating together in the platform called BRICS. But that does not mean that we are blind to the situation that is occurring now between the conflict that has now arisen between Russia and Ukraine. In that conflict, we are calling for mediation. We are calling for diplomacy. We have not decided to take any side and we don’t want to go to historical challenges that have developed to date that is at the centre of the conflict,” Mabuza explains.

 

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