Russian President Putin to virtually participate in BRICS summit in South Africa
Jul 19, 2023
Moscow [Russia], July 19 : Russian President Vladimir Putin will deliver his speech at the BRICS Summit via video conference, he will properly take part in the event, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS.
"The President decided to take part in the BRICS Summit in a video conference format. It will be a proper participation," he said.
Meanwhile, spokesman Peskov has confirmed that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will represent Russia at the summit in-person, as per TASS.
The Russian News Agency TASS, abbreviated TASS, is a Russian state-owned news agency founded in 1904.
"The meeting itself will be attended by Minister Lavrov," the spokesman added.
The BRICS includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The BRICS summit will take place between August 22 and 24 in South Africa’s Johannesburg, TASS reported.
Earlier in the day, the office of South African President, Cyril Ramaphose had announced that Putin will not attend the BRICS nations summit.
This will be the first summit hosted in person since the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent global restrictions. The Summit will be attended by the leaders of Brazil, India, China and South Africa.
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said earlier on Wednesday, "By mutual agreement, President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation will not attend the summit but the Russian Federation will be represented by foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.”
President Ramaphosa has in recent months and weeks held a number of consultations on the hosting of the Summit. The President’s most recent consultation in this regard took place last night, Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at the BRICS Political Party Dialogue in Gauteng.
In due course, a comprehensive statement on the substantive issues to be covered at the Summit and other related foreign policy matters will be issued.
President Ramaphosa is confident that the Summit will be a success and calls on the nation to extend the necessary hospitality to the many delegates who will arrive from various parts of the continent and the globe.
"President Ramaphosa has in recent months and weeks held a number of consultations on the hosting of the summit. The president’s most recent consultation in this regard took place last night, Tuesday, July 18, at the BRICS political party dialogue in Gauteng.
"The summit will be attended by the leaders of Brazil, India, China and South Africa. In due course, a comprehensive statement on the substantive issues to be covered at the summit and other related foreign policy matters will be issued.
"President Ramaphosa is confident the summit will be a success and calls on the nation to extend hospitality to the many delegates who will arrive from various parts of the continent and the globe," as per the South African Presidency.
Earlier, the South African government granted diplomatic immunity to all international participants, including Russian President Vladamir Putin and other Russian officials, at BRICS-related events to be held in the country, as per local media.
"Immunity from personal arrest or detention and from seizure of their personal baggage, and, in respect of words spoken or written and all acts done by them in their capacity as representatives, immunity from legal process of every kind," the document reads.
A warrant for Putin's arrest was issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague in March, and since South Africa is a member of the formation, it is obliged to arrest Putin when he is in the country.
Despite this, South Africa, as the current chair of the BRICS alliance, has officially invited Putin to the summit in August.
