ST. PETERSBURG. June 16 (Interfax) - Russia expects to hear concrete proposals on the African peace initiative first-hand before going into the specific aspects of the document, Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
Previously, Western media published a draft of the document, which listed a requirement for Russia to remove its forces from Ukraine and tactical nuclear weapons from Belarus among the steps that need to be taken.
"The president will having contacts tomorrow. Tomorrow, the representatives from African states who were in Kiev will be in St. Petersburg, and will set out their vision to the president. The president will outline his [vision] to them," Peskov told journalists on the margins of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, when responding to a question posed by Interfax about whether Moscow was prepared to discuss the initiative if it contained these two preconditions.
"The president said today that he was, is, and will remain open to contact. These contacts will take place tomorrow," Peskov said, adding that all proposals will be "heard first-hand tomorrow."