MOSCOW, Russia
Russia will continue providing Mali with
military assistance through state channels, the RIA news agency cited a senior
Russian diplomat as saying on Monday, days after Bamako denied the presence of
Russian mercenaries.Protesters in Bamako wave Russian and Malian flags during a demonstration against French influence in the country on May 27, 2021.
France, Canada and 13 European nations last week condemned Moscow for facilitating the alleged
deployment of private military contractors from the Russia-backed Wagner
Group to Mali, where the government is battling an Islamist
insurgency.
Mali's government on Saturday denied the presence of Russian mercenaries, but
said "Russian trainers" were there as part of a bilateral agreement
between Mali and Russia.
A cargo plane delivered four helicopters,
weapons and ammunition from Russia to Mali in October, part of what the Malian
government said was a commercial deal with the Russian state.
RIA on Monday quoted Pyotr Ilichev, director of
the Russian foreign ministry's department for international organisations, as
saying in an interview that Bamako had the right to cooperate with any partners
it wanted in its fight with militants.
"We will continue to defend Bamako's
legitimate interests at the UN (United Nations) and also to provide active
assistance to our Malian partners in the military and military-technical
spheres through state channels," Ilichev was quoted as saying.
President Vladimir Putin has said the Wagner
Group do not represent the Russian state, but that private military contractors
have the right to work anywhere in the world so long as they do not break
Russian law.
Ilichev was cited as saying that France's withdrawal from military bases in Mali had the
potential to destabilize the region. Paris has previously denied suggestions it
is abandoning Mali. - Reuters
No comments:
Post a Comment