South Africa attacks Nigeria for recognizing Libyan rebels as legitimate govt.

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, National Politics, Top Stories Thursday, August 25th, 2011

Following the reaction that has trailed Nigeria’s recognition of Libya’s Transitional Council, especially from the Republic of South Africa, the Federal Government has said, as a sovereign nation, it has the right to take a position on an international issue and not of one nation’s morality over another.

The rebel-led council is “the legitimate representative of the Libyan people,” the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Viola Onwuliri, had said. She added that the new leaders should “establish an all-inclusive and broad-based administration” to work towards elections and Muammar Qaddafi must relinquish power immediately.

“Nigeria is jumping the gun in recognizing the rebels as representatives of Libya,” the secretary-general of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC), Gwede Mantashe, told reporters in Johannesburg, insisting, “The AU position stays.”

Fielding questions from the State House correspondents during the weekly briefing, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, insists Nigeria respects the wishes of the Libyan people and wishes for multiple-party democracy to be returned as soon as possible.

According to him, “Well, the position of Nigeria on Libya as published is consistent, is principled, Nigeria respects the wishes of the people of Libya, Nigeria has advised the transitional council to ensure that the interest of the people are defended and that multiple- party democracy is returned as quickly as possible and that reconciliation, reconstruction should be objectives of the new administration.

“As for Mr. President speaking with the leader of the transitional council, well it has not happened yet, but I’m sure when the opportunity comes, two leaders talking to each other at a moment like this, I don’t think there is a problem with that.”

Asked about government’s reaction to the South African government attacking Nigeria for recognizing the transitional council, Abati said, “It was an ANC member that reacted, so the position of an ANC member does not really amount to the position of the South African government. However, let this be clear, Nigeria has every right as a sovereign nation to take a position on any international position.

It is not a question of one country holding a higher moral ground than the other. Each country has it’s own foreign policy ideals and objectives and it is completely beside the point to say that one country is criticizing the position held by another. Nigeria’s position is very clear and is consistent and it is principled.”wp_posts