- Dec 29, 2008
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(Reuters) -African leaders pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday to move ahead with their peace plan to end the Ukraine war and to renew a deal on the export of Ukrainian grain that Moscow tore up last week.
While not directly critical of Russia, their interventions on the second day of a summit with Putin were more concerted and forceful than those that African countries have voiced until now.
They served as reminders to the Kremlin leader of the depth of African concern at the consequences of the war, especially rising food prices.
"This war must end. And it can only end on the basis of justice and reason," African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat told Putin and African leaders in St Petersburg.
"The disruptions of energy and grain supplies must end immediately. The grain deal must be extended for the benefit of all the peoples of the world, Africans in particular."
Reuters reported in June that the African plan floats a series of possible steps to defuse the conflict including a Russian troop pull-back, removal of Russian tactical nuclear weapons from Belarus, suspension of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Putin, and sanctions relief.
Putin gave it a polite but cool reception when African leaders presented it to him last month. On Friday he said Moscow respected the proposal and was carefully studying it.
Congo Republic President Denis Sassou Nguesso said the African initiative "deserves the closest attention, it mustn't be underestimated...We once again urgently call for the restoration of peace in Europe."
Senegal's President Macky Sall called for "a de-escalation to help create calm", while South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said he hoped that "constructive engagement and negotiation" could bring an end to the conflict.
The stream of calls prompted Putin repeatedly to defend Russia's position and place the blame on Ukraine and the West.
Apparently, Putin thinks that because they are not white, the African leaders won't understand how he is screwing them, but they clearly understand that what he is trying to do to Ukraine is exactly what European nations did to Africa in centuries past and treating them as if they were idiots, incapable of understanding what they see.
What they are learning is that you can't do business with Russia and still claim to share the values of the civilized world.
While not directly critical of Russia, their interventions on the second day of a summit with Putin were more concerted and forceful than those that African countries have voiced until now.
They served as reminders to the Kremlin leader of the depth of African concern at the consequences of the war, especially rising food prices.
"This war must end. And it can only end on the basis of justice and reason," African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat told Putin and African leaders in St Petersburg.
"The disruptions of energy and grain supplies must end immediately. The grain deal must be extended for the benefit of all the peoples of the world, Africans in particular."
Reuters reported in June that the African plan floats a series of possible steps to defuse the conflict including a Russian troop pull-back, removal of Russian tactical nuclear weapons from Belarus, suspension of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Putin, and sanctions relief.
Putin gave it a polite but cool reception when African leaders presented it to him last month. On Friday he said Moscow respected the proposal and was carefully studying it.
Congo Republic President Denis Sassou Nguesso said the African initiative "deserves the closest attention, it mustn't be underestimated...We once again urgently call for the restoration of peace in Europe."
Senegal's President Macky Sall called for "a de-escalation to help create calm", while South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said he hoped that "constructive engagement and negotiation" could bring an end to the conflict.
The stream of calls prompted Putin repeatedly to defend Russia's position and place the blame on Ukraine and the West.
Apparently, Putin thinks that because they are not white, the African leaders won't understand how he is screwing them, but they clearly understand that what he is trying to do to Ukraine is exactly what European nations did to Africa in centuries past and treating them as if they were idiots, incapable of understanding what they see.
What they are learning is that you can't do business with Russia and still claim to share the values of the civilized world.
