S. Africa Considers Moving BRICS Summit To Another Country Due To Putin Warrant-BBG

Bloomberg runs a source report noting that South Africa considers moving the upcoming summit of BRICS leaders to another country as it struggles to resolve a dilemma related to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

• The report notes that South Africa is mulling asking China or the neighbouring Mozambique to host the meeting of BRICS heads of state, albeit DIRCO spokesman Lunga Ngqengelele said that, as things stand, the event will take place in Gauteng province.
• South Africa has been struggling to find a solution to the dilemma between its obligation to detain Putin and the invitation extended to the Russian leader. Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said that a governmental panel is still weighing various legal options around Putin's visit.
• Putin could safely travel to both China and Mozambique as none of these countries is party to the Rome Statute that established the ICC. Sources told Bloomberg that Mozambique is an unlikely venue as it lacks the capacity to host such a large-scale event.
• BRICS Foreign Ministers have started their summit in Cape Town today, setting the scene for the leaders' summit in August. It is expected that Pandor will discuss Putin's potential visit with her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.