Russia supports the territorial integrity of Mali, the Russian president’s point man on Africa, Mikhail Margelov, said on Friday.
Mali's nomadic Tuaregs have proclaimed the independence of the state of Azawad, their historical motherland in the north of the country.
“We stand unequivocally for the territorial integrity and restoration of constitutional order in Mali, which is our friend,” he said.
“Russia has always believed in that African problems should be decided by the Africans.”
There are virtually no chances for the international legitimization of a Tuareg state, he added.
