Mali summons the Spanish ambassador to ask for clarifications on a possible NATO intervention

July 2 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Government of Mali has summoned the Spanish ambassador, José Homero Gómez, to ask for explanations about the comments made by the Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, in which he did not rule out a NATO intervention in the African continent or the possibility of reinforce the southern flank of the Alliance in the face of the threat of jihadism or the expansion of the Russian presence.

“The Spanish ambassador has been summoned today (on Friday) to explain the unacceptable, unpleasant and reprehensible statements of the Spanish Foreign Minister about Mali,” the Malian Foreign Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, made known late yesterday in statements to the ORTM7 chain.

The Malian minister referred to the comments made on Thursday by Albares in the framework of the NATO summit on the strategic importance of the Alliance’s southern flank, given the serious jihadist threat and Russia’s expansion, particularly in Mali, where the western community has denounced the presence of the Russian group of mercenaries Wagner to help the coup junta that now controls the country.

During the meeting, Albares defended that the inclusion of the southern flank in the NATO concept is not “offensive towards anyone”, although he did not rule out a “military reinforcement”.

Diop understood these comments as a threat of aggression. “It seems that the minister is encouraging an act of aggression against an independent and sovereign country, which is why we have declared this call, to raise an energetic protest,” the Malian minister lamented.

Diop took the opportunity to “remind” his Spanish counterpart “that the current insecurity situation in Mali is related to the NATO intervention in Libya, from which Mali is suffering the consequences”, about the 2011 international military campaign in the North African country.

“We hope to have clarifications from the Spanish Government very soon”, the minister concluded.