Cablegate: South Africa Publicly Confirms Mbeki-Bush Meeting
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHSA #4825 3281515
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241515Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7059
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0619
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS PRETORIA 004825
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR ETRD SF
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA PUBLICLY CONFIRMS MBEKI-BUSH MEETING
1. (U) Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad yesterday confirmed
to reporters that President Mbeki will be meeting President
Bush at the White House on 8 December. Pahad admitted that
the agenda has not been finalized, but added that free trade
negotiations will inevitably be on the agenda as well as the
threat of terrorism. In both areas, South Africa has "no
major problems (with the United States)...just differences."
He also said that South Africa's relations with the United
States were good, despite differences of opinion on the
Middle East and the need for greater multilateralism in world
affairs.
2. (U) Regarding the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Pahad told
reporters that South Africa cannot afford to sign an
"asymmetrical" free trade agreement. Pahad added that
Beijing is easier to deal with (than the United States)
because "the Chinese leadership has made it clear that they
understand they cannot sustain a relationship based on
colonial relations." He went on to list the billions of
dollars that China has set aside to enhance trade relations
with the African continent as proof. Pahad pointed out,
however, that the Department of Trade and Industry will
continue talks in an effort to look for other ways to
strengthen economic relations with the U.S. if a free trade
agreement is not signed in the near-future.
3. (U) Post has faxed text of Pahad's speech to AF/S.
BOST