The Central African Republic said Monday it was cutting ties with its neighbor, the Sudan, for thwarting a visit by CAR President Andre Kolingba to Israel.
Kolingba, airborne and bound for Tel Aviv on Sunday, was denied permission to fly through Sudanese airspace when his pilot reported their destination to Sudanese air traffic control.
He flew back to Banqui, the CAR capital. The visit has been postponed “until a new date is mutually agreed,” Israeli officials said.
Meanwhile, the CAR foreign minister, Michel Gbezera-Bria, who was in Israel to oversee arrangements for the presidential visit, paid a visit to Israeli President Chaim Herzog to express official regrets.
Gbezera-Bria signed a technical and scientific cooperation agreement between his country and Israel before leaving Monday.
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