Notes following Briefing by Deputy Minsiter Aziz Pahad, Media Centre Amphithreatre, Union Buildings, Tshwane, South Africa, 3 April 2006

Remarks by Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad

Outcomes of President Mahmoud Abbas's visit to South Africa

• South Africa successfully hosted President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas on a State Visit last week. The visit came at a very opportune time - there have been elections in both Israel and Palestine. Let me begin by saying that we must congratulate the people of Israel and Palestine for their participation in these elections. The elections have been declared free and fair - there has been no challenge to the legitimacy and transparency of these elections.
• President Abbas had, en-route, to South Africa attended the Arab League Summit in Sudan. The Summit looked at issues of Sudan, the Middle East, etc. We received a briefing from President Abbas regarding the Summit.
• Let me make South Africa's position with regard to the Middle East very clear: we operate within the framework of a commitment to help the people of Israel and Palestine find a peaceful solution based on the Oslo Agreement - there must be a viable State Palestine, with an independent State of Israel, living side by side within secure borders. In this regard, South Africa has attempted to share with the people of Palestine and Israel our experiences of our transition to democracy and nation building. We have the Presidential Spier Initiative within this context. This initiative is led by President Mbeki where he, together with current and former Apartheid regime Ministers and security heads, meet with both the Palestinians and Israelis to share our experiences. The South African government is under no illusion of trying to formulate another peace plan. There are the Olso Agreements, the Arab League Plan of 2002 and the Roadmap.
• The elections in Israel and Palestine have introduced fundamentally new conditions in the region and opens up prospects for a peaceful solution based on these various agreements and UN resolutions.
• In Palestine - now that Hamas has won the legislative elections, we have a situation where the United States and European Union have stopped their aid, recognition of Hamas refused and Israel has also withheld US$ 50 million Palestinian money payable in terms of a customs agreement. We have two schools of thought - one where collective punishment is being enforced, another where recognition is given to Hamas having won the elections decisively, freely and fairly. This school of thought proposes that the will of the Palestinian people be accepted and that we work with Hamas.
• We who promote democracy cannot challenge the consequences of democratic processes. In our own view: there should be no collective punishment against the Palestinian people. In addition, now that Hamas has been given the responsibility by the Palestinian people, they must recognise that this mandate has been bestowed in terms of the Oslo Agreement. So Hamas must also accept all other responsibilities in terms of the Oslo Agreement and fulfill them. The Palestinian people voted for a Palestinian State, peace and improvements in the quality of their lives. Hamas must deliver on this.
• As we all know, the conditions in the Palestinian territories are appalling - such conditions will only give rise to greater tensions and resentment.
• With regard to the Israeli elections: a new dynamic has also arisen in Israel with Kadima having won the majority of the seats. For the first time in a long time, there is the opportunity for a coalition government that does not depend on the will of ultra-right religious groups.
• However, both sides, the Israelis and Palestinians must move forward decisively - both peoples have indicated their desire for peace and security.
• The Arab Summit has also taken some key decisions: that both sides must return to the Roadmap, that collective punishment not be imposed on the peoples of Palestine and that the Arab Plan of 2002 and Roadmap be implemented.
• We are working on an appropriate date for President Mbeki to visit the Middle East region.
• As you know, Hamas has not succeeded in establishing a coalition government; the Israeli government has yet to be formed.
• So indeed, at this stage in the region, we have opportunities and dangers.
• We will continue to interact with both sides in order to create the conditions for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Visit to South Africa by Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete

• Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete will pay a Working Visit to South Africa on Friday, 7 April 2006 during which he will hold discussions with President Mbeki.
• This is part of his regional visit to SADC countries.
• We welcome the visit since Tanzania plays a major role in SADC, East Africa and the African Union. Tanzania is fast becoming one of Africa's success stories.
• Tanzania is also very active in the Great Lakes region and we will fully support their initiatives to get the Paliphutu-FNL to join the process. This visit will also present us with an opportunity to review the challenges in the region and how we can alleviate them to ensure movement towards peace and stability.
• South African relations with Tanzanian are governed through two fora - the Binational Commission headed by Foreign Affairs and consisting of other departments and the most importantly, the Presidential Economic Commission headed by the respective Presidents.
• Trade and investment between South Africa and Tanzania has grown phenomenally.

Trade / Investment / economic cooperation

Source: DTI, 2005

South Africa ranks 4th on the list of foreign investors and accounts for 10 percent of the total investment in Tanzania.

One hundred South African companies are economically active in Tanzania, which is rated as a premier investment destination for South African business people. South African exports to Tanzania are predominantly in the spheres of manufacturing, i.e., machinery, mechanical appliances, paper, rubber products, vehicles, iron and steel and services and technology.

• It is clear that Tanzania is a very important partner for South Africa - both politically and economically.

Sudanese Special Envoy to meet President Mbeki

• President Mbeki will later today meet with a Special Envoy from Sudan

Great Lakes Region

• We are very happy with the progress in the Democratic Republic of Congo - as you know South Africa has played a major role in the country - not only in terms of troop deployment but also in terms of post conflict reconstruction and development.
• Elections are due in June 2006 - the government has requested additional assistance from South Africa to help facilitate the elections

Côte d'Ivoire

• We are very pleased with the progress in Côte d'Ivoire - all parties are now earnestly preparing for elections to be held later this year.
• We are confident we will be able to meet the mid-April target for the identification and registration processes.
• Although the DDR process is now underway, we are concerned that this process has not been fully implemented from the time of Lineas-Marcoussis. We now believe that the process can move forward quite decisively.
• We have also seen substantial movement in Côte d'Ivoire since the appointment of Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny.
• The International Working Group on Côte d'Ivoire meets once a month and there has been agreement that there has been much movement recently.
• South Africa will however remain seized with the matter.

Questions and answers

Question Deputy Minister Pahad, could you please clarify the process referred to re: Côte d'Ivoire to be finalised by mid-April?

Answer We fully expect the processes of registration and identification will have begun by mid-April. It is the intention of President Gbagbo that both these processes should be synchronised and a special commission has been established to this effect.

Question Deputy Mnister, what the African Union's and South Africa's position of the matter of former President Charles Taylor?

Answer We are not in possession of any further facts in this regard - however, this is the first time that an African Head of State who moved into exile in order to allow the processes in his country to move forward has been brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

However, Nigeria had always maintained that they would hand over former President Taylor to the ICC once a democratic government had been established in Liberia and a request made.

President Mbeki has been in touch with Nigerian President Olusegan Obasanjo in order to discuss the matter, but we have no further information.

Question Deputy Minister Pahad, with regard to the matter of former Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide - I got the sense a month ago that things were moving quite speedily for his return to Haiti but now it seems that matters have slowed down. Is this because of pressure from the United States and France - do they believe it is not in Haiti's interest that he return at this time?

Answer I am not in any position to speculate on what the French and US governments are thinking on this matter.

Minister Dlamini Zuma yesterday made it very clear that South Africa is hosting President Aristide following requests from Caricom and the African Union - he is not in exile in South Africa.

President Aristide's return to Haiti must be negotiated with President Preval and Caricom.

Question Deputy Minister Pahad, did President Abbas request financial assistance from the South African government during his visit?

Answer The Palestinians have requested assistance from South Africa in various forms - however, they fully understand that South Africa does not have massive amounts of money to contribute in aid. We can provide some assistance but not in the way the developed countries could.

In addition, South Africa contributes massively to solving African challenges and addressing challenges in our own country.

Question Deputy Minister Pahad, will Hamas still visit South Africa?

Answer Hamas announced in Gaza, ahead of their visit to Russia that they would like to visit South Africa. We responded by saying we would meet them as the National Authority.

Question Deputy Minister Pahad, when will President Mbeki visit the Middle East?

Answer President Mbeki will visit the Middle East once the Palestinian National Authority is functioning and the government of Israel has been finalised.

This will be working visit since working visits allow for serious discussions in a short period of time.

I would assume he would visit both Palestine and Israel.

Question Deputy Minister Pahad, can you comment on the International Conference on Palestine to be hosted by Iran on 14 April 2006?

Answer I will need to ascertain further information on this matter. This is however an annual conference. I would assume that the South African parliamentary delegation will be a multi-party delegation but I will need to follow this up.

Question Deputy Minister Pahad, what is your feeling on the situation in Burundi - is the South African government still optimistic. There are conflicting positions from analysts?

Answer The South African government remains optimistic about the situation in Burundi. Analysts were also very pessimistic about the situation in the DRC and Côte d'Ivoire a while ago - yet today we have made substantial progress in resolving these crises.

We believe the international community must now move decisively to assist these countries in terms of post-conflict reconstruction and development.

South Africa is thinking of withdrawing the troops deployed to Burundi to protect leaders in exile.

The South African cabinet last week decided to deploy 300 troops to Comoros ahead of their elections while extending the mandate of the troops in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Question Deputy Minister Pahad, what has been the decisive factor in creating movement in Côte d'Ivoire?

Answer Firstly the Peace and Security Council decision on extending the life of the Presidency after the date on which elections should have been held passed.

The new Prime Minister has the power to exercise much authority in term of the Lineas Marcoussis Agreement to implement the various existing agreements.

The Security Council endorsed the African position while maintaining that sanctions will be imposed on anyone thought to be impeding the process.

We are also working collectively with other roleplayers including the French to ensure synergies in the way in which we proceed on this matter.

Forces Nouvelles have also realised they would need to address the way in which they proceed and have now joined the governmental processes.

Outtara and Bedie have returned to Côte d'Ivoire.

The decision to not close down the National Assembly but rather to revise the mandate.

All these developments have made it clear to all Ivorians that they must follow and implement processes outlined in the Lineas Marcoussis, Accra and Pretoria Agreements.

Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Tshwane
0001

4 April 2006