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Madagascar Foreign Minister Fired After Support for UN Resolution on Referendums, Reports Say

© AP Photo / Jonathan HordleForeign Minister of Madagascar Richard Randriamandrato stands before signing a book of condolence at Lancaster House following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, in London, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022.
Foreign Minister of Madagascar Richard Randriamandrato stands before signing a book of condolence at Lancaster House following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, in London, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. - Sputnik International, 1920, 19.10.2022
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MOSCOW(Sputnik) - Madagascar Foreign Minister Richard Randriamandrato was fired after his decision to vote for the UN General Assembly resolution not recognizing referendums in the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, the Orange portal reported, citing a source.
According to a decree by President of Madagascar Andry Rajoelina, posted on his office's page on Facebook*, Madagascar Defense Minister Gen. Richard Rakotonirina is appointed acting foreign minister.
According to a source, now the ex-minister is being reproached for having single-handedly made a decision on a strategic vote in the UN regarding the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, without consulting the government and the president of Madagascar, the portal reported.
Madagascar has earlier always expressed neutrality regarding the conflict in Ukraine. The former minister himself, in turn, answered the questions of French radio station RFI about his decision.
“I made this decision to vote for in line with my conscience. I don’t think that this vote jeopardized the interests of the nation. The rest will be judged by history,” the radio station quoted the minister as saying. However he avoided answering the question if the decision was made without prior discussion with the president.
The UN General Assembly earlier adopted a resolution not recognizing the referendums. A total of 143 countries voted for it, five voted against, 35 abstained. Russia, Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Nicaragua voted against. Earlier, Sputnik sources reported that the United States and its partners had been actively persuading countries to support the Western draft resolution.
On September 23-27, the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), Kherson and Zaporozhye regions held referendums on whether to become part of Russia. The vast majority of voters supported joining Russia.
On September 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke in the Kremlin after the referendums, and then he signed treaties with the new territories' heads on the admission of the regions to Russia. A few days later, Putin signed federal laws ratifying the admission of the territories to the Russian Federation.
*banned in Russia as an extremist organization
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