Nigeria’s foreign minister on Monday
sought to calm South African anger about the
recall for consultations of its
top two diplomats over a wave of anti-immigrant attacks, saying it was nothing
out of the ordinary.
South Africa issued a testy
statement on Sunday, a day after Abuja announced it had summoned its acting
high commissioner to Pretoria and consul-general in Johannesburg for talks on
the issue.
“This is a usual practice in the
conduct of diplomacy,” Foreign Minister Aminu Wali said in a statement on
Monday.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish
to reiterate that the two senior diplomats have been invited to come for
consultation after which they would return to their duty posts.
“They have, therefore, not been
recalled, as erroneously portrayed in the media,” he said.
At least seven people have been
killed in violence targeting immigrants to South Africa in recent weeks,
forcing many to flee their homes and the army to be deployed to keep the peace.
Nigeria said it was “deeply
concerned” about the situation but there were “satisfactory indications that
the South African authorities have taken firm measures to stem the tide of
attacks”.
FG says ambassador recall from S. Africa ‘usual practice’
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Monday, April 27, 2015
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