Mbeki welcomes Israeli delegation
8 September 2004
President Thabo Mbeki on Tuesday welcomed members of Israel's governing Likud Party as friends with whom South Africa wanted to work closely as he opened two days of talks between the representatives of the two governments in Pretoria.
The visit by the eight-member delegation from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's party marks the first time that the Likud Party is holding official talks with South Africa on efforts to bring peace to the Middle East.
"We welcome you here as friends - as people with whom we would want to work as closely as we can", Mbeki said at the start of the meeting in the presidential guest house.
Mbeki's administration has been a vocal critic of Israel, harshly criticising its construction of a barrier on the West Bank.
South Africa earlier this year supported the Palestinian case challenging the legality of the barrier at the International Court of Justice, which ruled that part of the wall should be torn
down.
"We are concerned about the Middle East and very interested in peace", Mbeki said. "Peace for the Israelis and peace for the Palestinians."
"If we can contribute something, however small, to end this conflict, we will be very honoured to do so."
Israeli Deputy Trade and Industry Minister David Ratzon, who led the delegation, said he was ready to discuss a broad range of issues concerning Israel and the Middle East conflict.
"It is a pleasure, privilege and honour to be the first official Likud delegation invited to South Africa", Ratzon said.
"We intend raising a few subjects, namely the state of Israel as the state of the Jewish nation, the Likud Party and the Israeli political map, conflict between Israelis and Arabs, the historical and political view from Israel, Likud's place in the political process, and Israel's relationship with Africa and South Africa past and present."
The South African delegation includes Ministers Nkosazana
Dlamini-Zuma (Foreign Affairs), Mosiuoa Lekota (Defence), Jeff Radebe (Transport), Ronnie Kasrils (Intelligence), Charles Nqakula (Safety and Security), and Brigitte Mabandla (Justice), as well as Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad and South Africa's ambassador to Tel Aviv, Fumanekile Gqiba.
Former ministers Valli Moosa, Pik Botha, Roelf Meyer and Leon Wessels, and former Speaker of the National Assembly Frene Ginwala, are also part of SA's delegation.
The Likud delegation includes Michael Eitan, chair of the constitutional committee and member of the House and the science and technological committee; Ayoub Kara, member of the finance committee and chair of the anti-drug abuse committee; Yuli Edelstein, Karmel Shma, Arik Maimon and Sima Navon, members of the Central Committee; Arik Barami, director-general of Likud; and Eitan Sulami, Likud member and campaign manager.
Source: BuaNews
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