China plans to set up naval base in Namibia China’s insistence on setting up a naval base in Namibia at the port of Walvis Bay is likely to be thwarted by the country’s constitution that prohibits foreign military installation in the country, Defence Minister Nahas Angula was quoted as saying by the Infomanté on Thursday.The Windhoek-based weekly reported that a high-powered delegation from China was expected in Namibia in coming weeks to finalise the matter, following a meeting in Beijing last December between Namibian ambassador to China Ringo Abed and Chinese defence ministry spokesperson Geng Yansheng. But Angula said he was not aware of the matter. “Since I became the Minister of Defence (in 2012) there were no discussions with the Chinese on the construction of a naval base. I am not really aware of this,” Angula told Infomante. The minister maintained that in terms of the Namibian Constitution, “no foreign military base could be allowed on Namibian soil”. But China seems intent on forging ahead with its naval expansion ambition, with Yansheg reported to have informed Ambassador Abed that his government is already working on a draft agreement that will be submitted to the Namibian Government for discussion once the two sides meet. However, the meeting will only likely to take place after the new government, under president-elect Hage Geingob is sworn in March 21, sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Infomante. APA
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 17:19:52 +0000
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