SA embassy for Syria
Richard Mantu
30 August 2004
Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad on Sunday concluded political and economic discussions with his Syrian counterpart Issa Darweesh to consolidate relations between the two countries.
Pahad was accompanied on his trip by Foreign Affairs Director-General Ayanda Ntsaluba.
Foreign Affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa said the two exchanged views about the developments on the African continent, as well as the current situation in the Middle East and the conditions in Iraq following the handover of sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government.
Pahad told the Syrian delegation that a South African embassy would be established in Damascus by the end of the year. SA officials are currently in Damascus preparing for the opening of a the embassy.
Syria and South Africa established full diplomatic relations in June 1994. Syria has maintained an embassy in SA since June 1998, while the South African ambassador in Cairo is accredited to Syria on
a non-residential basis.
Pahad's visit to Damascus was seen as boosting business opportunities for South African firms in the light industry, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, and tourism sectors.
According to Mamoepa, the Syrian government plans to build 21 hospitals to increase its total capacity by 25%. This, he said, would increase demand for pharmaceuticals as well as medical equipment such as X-ray machines, MRI scanners and ICU equipment.
"With the establishment of a full diplomatic presence in Syria, bilateral relations will be given greater impetus both within the South African government and private sector", Mamoepa said. "Both sides agreed that the potential was there and should be explored."
During his discussions, Pahad also reiterated the decision of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Ministerial meeting in Durban this month that real expression be given to South-South co-operation.
The NAM meeting reiterated that unless co-operation
at all levels between developing countries grew, a new development reality for countries of the South would remain a theory.
With regard to the current situation in the Middle East, the two countries' delegations agreed that all bilateral and multilateral forums should encourage the leadership and civil society of Israel and Palestine to find a just, viable and lasting solution based on the two-state theory.
"With regard to Iraq, both delegations agreed that full sovereignty - political and economic - should be returned to the people of Iraq and the conditions created for democratic elections, allowing the people of Iraq to elect the leadership of the country, be held by January 2005", Mamoepa said.
Both delegations expressed concern at the continuing violence and the number of casualties.
Following consultations with Darweesh, the SA delegation met with Foreign Affairs Minister Farouk Al-Sharaa.
On Saturday Pahad, in line with the African Union
decision that all Africans in the Diaspora be mobilised, met with a group of South African students currently studying in Syria.
Pahad briefed the group on developments within South Africa, the continent and on the objectives of his visit to the region.
Pahad and his delegation travelled from Syria to Amman, Jordan, where they were due to meet with Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Al-Muasher.
Source: BuaNews
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