APA-Pretoria (South Africa) South Africa will consult Russia over the warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Russian President Vladimir Putin before considering any action, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor said Wednesday.
The ICC last week issued an arrest warrant against Putin over alleged war crimes in Ukraine, a move that requires all countries that are signatories to Rome Statute that established the court to arrest the Russian leader if he steps foot on their soil.
This means that South Africa is required to arrest Putin when he travels to Pretoria for the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit scheduled for August.
However, Pandor said told the South African Broadcasting Corporation late Wednesday that her government would first consult with Moscow regarding the warrant.
“South Africa will have to look at existing provisions of our legislation and we will also have to have a discussion as cabinet as well as with our colleagues in the Russian Federation to determine the way forward,” Pandor said.
She slammed the ICC’s decision to issue the arrest warrant, saying South Africa is worried about the double standards by the international court which tended to targeted certain leaders and turn a blind eye against others.
“We had hoped that other forms of warrants would be issued by the ICC because there are many countries and leaders who have practised very serious abuses in situations of conflict but they remain unscathed in terms of the ICC,” Pandor said.
She added: “Obviously this is a very serious decision by the ICC. We are a member state that has signed on to the ICC. Many countries which should sign on are not members of it.
South Africa has close diplomatic relations with Moscow in spite of Western condemnations.
JN/APA