US ambassador apologizes to South Africa for supplying weapons to Russia
South Africa foreign ministry states the US ambassador has “apologised unreservedly” for claiming the nation supplied weapons to Russia.
On Thursday, Reuben Brigety alleged a Russian vessel was packed with bullets and weapons in Cape Town last December.
South Africa states it has no record of an arms deal, and President Cyril Ramaphosa has called an inquiry. On Friday, the White House national security representative would not be drawn on facts of the allegations.
But John Kirby said it was a “serious problem”, and the US had always advised nations not to support Russia’s battle in Ukraine. Noting on social media after meeting the foreign ministry, Mr Brigety said he was “thankful for the chance to… rectify any misimpressions left by my public comments”.
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In the talk, he “re-affirmed the robust partnership between our two nations and the critical agenda our presidents have given us”.
Meanwhile, a South African cabinet leader hit out at such “megaphone prudence”, saying South Africa could not be “mocked by the US”.
“It is the US which has boycotts against Russia… they must not pull us into their problems with Russia,” Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, a minister in the presidency, said to public broadcaster SABC.
Her bullish remarks followed a Kremlin report saying President Vladimir Putin had spoken to his South African partner by phone and decided to worsen “mutually beneficial ties”.
Source – BBC
