By IANS,
Moscow: The Russia has summoned Senegal’s top diplomat in Moscow over the seizure of a Russian trawler and demanded the immediate release of the 82 crew members, the foreign ministry said here Thursday.
During a meet between Mamadou Diagne, the Senegalese Charge d’Affaires in Moscow, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Envoy for Human Rights Konstantin Dolgov, Moscow demanded Dakar “strictly adhere to the international laws regarding Russian citizens onboard the vessel, including supplying them with drinking water, food and providing medical assistance”, Xinhua reported.
Russian trawler Oleg Naydyonov was detained by the Senegalese Navy in the exclusive economic zone of Guinea-Bissau Sunday, suspected of illegal fishing within Senegalese waters. It has about 900 tonnes of cargo worth $540,000.
“Moscow expects sooner settlement of the incident in a spirit of traditional friendly bilateral relations,” said the ministry’s spokesperson Alexander Lukashevich.
Diagne said that Senegalese authorities would do their best to resolve the situation which, in his words, should not negatively affect bilateral ties.