MOSCOW. July 25 (Interfax) - Attempts being made by the United States and some other Western countries to put pressure on African countries to talk them out of taking part in the upcoming Russia-Africa summit deserve denouncement, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.
"Definitely, we are well aware that virtually all African states have been subjected to unprecedented pressure by the U.S., and French embassies on the ground have been up and doing, and other Western missions are trying to contribute to these efforts to obstruct this summit and obstruct the representation of African countries at this summit," Peskov told journalists on Tuesday.
"This line by the U.S., France, and other states should be denounced, and it deserves denouncement," he said.
By doing so, Western countries "deny African states their sovereign right to choose partners on their own for expanding cooperation and interaction in various fields and for discussing relevant subjects," he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is continuing active preparations for the summit, some elements of which will begin as early as on Wednesday, he said.
"The days before the end of the week will be extremely busy. This includes both multilateral events within the summit's framework and numerous bilateral meetings," he said.
The Second Russia-Africa Summit and Economic Forum will take place in St. Petersburg on July 27-28.