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No grounds to extend sanctions imposed on Mali, says Russian Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova pointed out that Russia "voted against a Security Council draft resolution on the matter, prepared by France and the UAE"

MOSCOW, August 31. /TASS/. Russia’s United Nations Security Council veto put an end to international sanctions on Mali and there is no reason to extend them, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement published on the ministry’s website.

"The restrictions were introduced by the Council in 2017 based on a request by the Bamako-based government as a sort of guarantee for the implementation of the Algerian-brokered Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali signed on May 15, 2015," the statement reads. "When presenting its current request to remove the sanctions, Mali argued that there were no more reports of clashes between parties to the Algerian-brokered agreement. Consequently, there is no reason to extend sanctions," Zakharova added.

She pointed out that Russia "voted against a Security Council draft resolution on the matter, prepared by France and the UAE, as it had failed to consider Bamako’s opinion about the need to completely remove sanctions."

"We, in turn, showed a constructive approach, putting forward an alternate document providing for finally removing the restrictions in a year. However, it did not receive support from UNSC members. That said, international sanctions on Mali ceased to exist," the diplomat added.

Zakharova also emphasized that Russia believed in "the need to take the host country’s opinion into account as cooperation with it is crucial for the effective work of experts within the council’s relevant subsidiary bodies."

"Russia will continue to pay special attention to the position and requests of African countries when considering related issues of sanctions at the UN Security Council," the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman concluded.

The UN Security Council discussed extending international sanctions on Mali on August 30.

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Foreign policy Maria Zakharova

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