Minister Dlamini Zuma to Hold Bilateral Discussions with Nabil Shaat, Chief Advisor of President Yasser Arafat

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will meet with Nabil Shaat Chief Advisor to President Yasser Arafat for a bilateral discussion, in Beirut Lebanon on Wednesday 27 March 2002.
Minister Dlamini Zuma is in Beirut to attend the 14th Arab League Summit, on behalf of President Thabo Mbeki who was invited to the summit in his capacity as Chairperson of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

South Africa as Chair of NAM has been mandated to interact with leading role players in an effort to find a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. At the initiative of President Thabo Mbeki, a Presidential Retreat on the Middle East was held in January bringing together Palestinian/ Israeli and South African leaders in an effort to consolidate the peace movement on both sides.

Minister Dlamini Zuma is scheduled to address the opening session of the summit on Wednesday 27 March alongside UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan; Head of Organisation of Islamic conference Dr. Abdel Belkeziz and the EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana.

Minister Dlamini Zuma is expected to call for an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict; greater co-operation between Afro-Arab countries; support for NEPAD and the World Summit on Sustainable Development scheduled for Johannesburg later this year.

For more information contact Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853
Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs
P/bag x152
Pretoria
0001
26 March 2002