President Mbeki has Arrived in New York ahead of 59th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Monday, 20 - Thursday, 23 September 2004

President and Mrs Thabo Mbeki, yesterday, Sunday - 19 September 2004 - arrived in New York ahead of the 59th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 59).

In addition to President Mbeki's main address to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, 23 September 2004; bilateral meetings; the meeting of World Leaders on Action Against Hunger and Poverty, hosted by President Lula Da Silva of Brazil; a meeting on the report of the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation hosted by Tanzania and Finland; a meeting with the American Jewish Committee; a meeting with big business organised by the Citigroup; President Mbeki is also expected to host a reception to celebrate the role of the United Nations in contributing to the dawn of peace, freedom and justice in South Africa as well as a reception of a photo exhibition to mark South Africa's first decade of freedom.

In its participation at the UNGA 59, South Africa hopes to:

1. Promote the reform of the United Nations Security Council and the revitalisation of the UN system generally;
2. Contribute to the work of the Secretary General, Kofi Annan's High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change;
3. Promote the African Union (AU) and NEPAD within the UN context;
4. Advance active follow up to the Millennium Declaration and the outcomes of major UN conferences;
5. Support the global campaign against terrorism and weapons of mass destruction;
6. Support the Middle East Peace Process;
7. Advance South-South co-operation through active participation in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), G-77 + China and the Commonwealth

While supporting President Mbeki in all bilateral and multilateral fora and in pursuance of the afore-listed objectives, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma is expected to have bilateral discussions meetings with, among others, Foreign Ministers of the following regions:

Africa:

1. Algeria : Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem

Europe:

1. Russian Federation : Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
2. France : Foreign Minister Michel Barnier
3. Germany : Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer
4. Luxembourg : Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn
5. Iceland : Finance Minister and Acting Foreign Minister, Geir Haarde
6. Ukraine : Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Ivanovych Hryshchenko

Middle East

1. Iran : Foreign Minister Dr Kamal Kharrazi
2. Syria : Foreign Minister Farouk Al-Sharaa
3. Arab League : Secretary-General Amre Moussa

Americas

1. Canada : Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew
2. Brazil : Foreign Minister Dr Celso Amorim
3. Colombia : Foreign Minister Carolina Barco

Asia

1. India : Foreign Minister Natwar Singh
2. Thailand : Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai
3. People's Republic of China Foreign Minister LI Zhaoxing

In addition to these bilateral meetings, Minister Dlamini Zuma will also attend:

• The Working Luncheon of the Regional Support Group of the Great Lakes hosted by the United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan;
• Foreign Ministers Working Group on the Establishment of a United Nations Organisation for the Environment hosted by France;
• A working breakfast of the IBSA Dialogue ministers;
• A ministerial meeting of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty;
• An African Union (AU) Ministerial meeting on Anti-Personal Landmines;
• A Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana;
• A Panel of the Africa-America Institution meeting on the AU: New Opportunities and Challenges;
• Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Ministerial Meeting;
• NAM-EU Troika Meeting;
• Ministerial meeting of the NAM; and
• A meeting of the G-77 + China.

Minister Dlamini Zuma will return to South Africa on Friday, 1 October 2004.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082 990 4853

Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

20 September 2004