Minister Dlamini Zuma to hold talks with American counterpart

Pretoria - South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will depart for Washington on Friday 5 January 2007 where she is scheduled to hold discussions with her counterpart Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice on Sunday 7 January 2007.

Minister Dlamini Zuma's discussions with Secretary of State Rice come within the context of South Africa's efforts to consolidate and deepen political and economic relations between South Africa and the United States of America.

The meeting between Minister Dlamini Zuma and Secretary of State Rice arises from the meeting between President Thabo Mbeki and President George Bush in December 2006 in Washington.

The two Presidents discussed:

• The status of bilateral political and economic relations between both countries;
• Conflict resolution and peacekeeping in Africa;
• Multilateral co-operation including developments in the World Trade Organisation negotiations, South Africa's accession to the non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council;
• and other issues of international concern.

Minister Dlamini Zuma will conclude her discussions with Secretary of State Rice ahead her visit to New York where will participate in a ceremony that will be attended by among others, UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon, in which South Africa will hand over the Chairpersonship of the G-77 + China to Pakistan in New York on Wednesday 10 January 2007.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

5 January 2007