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Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad Concludes
Official Visit to Croatia
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aziz Pahad, has
today - Saturday, 18 September 2004 - concluded an official
visit to Croatia.
During his visit to Zagreb, Deputy Minister Pahad concluded
bilateral political and economic consultations with
his counterpart, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs,
Hido Biscevic; paid a courtesy call on the Foreign Minister,
Dr Miomir Zuzul; met with the Vice President of the
Croatian Parliament, Luka Bebic; consulted with members
of Parliament's Foreign Policy Committee, during which
it was agreed that parliamentary relations between both
countries be expanded; and with leading members of the
Croatian Chamber of Commerce.
Bilateral Consulations between Deputy Minister Pahad
and State Secretary Hido Biscevic
During consultations with his counterpart, Deputy Minister
Pahad thanked the government and people of the former
Yugoslavia, of which Croatia was part, for their support
in South Africa's liberation struggle, saying the liberation
and democratization of South Africa would not have been
possible without the support of the international community.
He expressed South Africa's commitment to increase political,
economic and cultural relations with Croatia and other
countries in the region.
Deputy Minister Pahad outlined the three major challenges
faced by South Africa in particular and the world in
general: the fight against poverty eradication and underdevelopment;
global peace and security and the fight against terrorism;
and the restructuring of the global exercise of power.
Deputy Minister Pahad also briefed his counterpart
on the operationalisation of the African Union and its
institutions, viz: the inauguration of the Pan African
Parliament in its South African home earlier this week,
the launch of the Peace and Security Council, the African
Court of Justice and the implementation of NEPAD as
the socio-economic programme of the African continent.
In this regard, Deputy Minister Pahad also briefed
State Secretary Biscevic of the G-8's Africa Action
Plan and the African Commission established by Prime
Minister Tony Blair as the incoming Chair of the G-8
to evaluate the implementation of the Africa Action
Plan by all role-players, and to give priority to the
African development agenda.
Deputy Minister Pahad also briefed his counterpart
regarding the creation of peace, security and stability
on the African continent, within the context of which
the current situation in Zimbabwe, the Great Lakes region,
Sudan and Darfur was discussed. Discussions also looked
at cooperation between South Africa and Croatia in peacekeeping
operations.
In turn, Deputy Minister Pahad received a briefing
from State Secretary Hido Biscevic regarding the efforts
of Croatia to join the European Union (EU). It is expected
that Croatia will accede to the EU.
In addition, State Secretary Biscevic briefed the South
African delegation on the regional situation - including
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro and Kosovo.
The discussions also considered Iraq, the situation
in the Middle East, global efforts to support the non-proliferation
of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism and the restructuring
of the United Nations and all its institutions. It was
agreed that both countries would continue to discuss
these issues to develop a common approach in multilateral
fora.
It was also agreed that the, 3 000 - 5 000 Croatians
and South Africans of Croatian descent living in South
Africa, be used strategically to enhance relations between
both countries.
It was also agreed that South Africa and Croatia would
investigate the possibilities for cooperation in human
resource development, including among others scholarships.
Meeting with members of Croatian Chamber of Commerce
Deputy Minister Pahad also met with members of the
Croatian Chamber of Commerce in Zagreb.
This meeting was attended by leading businesspeople
from the fields of wires and cable production; shipbuilding;
gas turbine production; demining and special equipment
production; energy, industry and vehicles; food and
associated products; agriculture; tourism; military
equipment; and civil engineering.
The companies already active in South Africa expressed
their satisfaction with the South African potential
and indicated their intention to expand their activities.
With regard to tourism, Croatia received seven million
tourists in 2004, 5 000 being South African. Seeing
the untapped market, Croatian tourism operators are
beginning to conceptualise package holidays. It was
further agreed that tourism opportunities between both
countries be exploited for mutual benefit.
It was concluded by both delegations that considering
the strategic position of both countries as gateways
to their respective regions, the current level of bilateral
trade was certainly not reflective of the existing potential.
Both sides undertook to do what was necessary in order
to create the conditions for the existing opportunities
in both countries to be investigated and exploited.
Deputy Minister Pahad reiterated that while government
could put in place the political and legislative frameworks
to facilitate economic co-operation between both countries,
and urged the South African parastatals and private
sector to seriously consider the excellent opportunity
that exist in Croatia and the region.
Deputy Minister Pahad also reiterated that as an incoming
member of the EU, Croatia was in an excellent opportunity
to benefit from the Free Trade Agreement already in
place between South Africa and the EU.
Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853.
? Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
18 September 2004
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