IN international relations, as in life, myth and =20 reality are constant companions: they shape the story =20 and the story shapes them. Without them, there is no =20 story, and without the story there is no past and no =20 hope for the future.=20
As Nelson Mandela’s speech-writers penned his =20 contribution to the 50th anniversary session of the =20 United Nations, the myth and reality of South Africa’s =20 links to that organisation must have been in their =20 minds. Embedded within the legends which have shaped =20 South Africa’s understanding of its place in the world =20 is the idea that the country played an indispensable =20 role in the founding of the UN.=20
It was General Jan Smuts — the story runs — who =20 actually penned the preamble to the UN Charter which =20 begins with the ringing words: ”We the peoples …”=20
In the dark days of isolation, the irony unlocked by =20 this interpretation of events, was not lost. All sides =20 used it to argue for the continuation — or the =20 trashing — of apartheid.=20
Nowadays these events are interpreted differently. =20 Supported by recent evidence, revisionists now believe =20 that Smuts cut a lonely, isolated figure out of touch =20 with a changing world. He was only one of two delegates =20 to wear a military uniform; the other — ironically =20 enough — was the Cuban delegate.=20
They point out that Smuts’ version of the preamble =20 bowed towards the imperative of state power and ignored =20 the place of people. =20
It took the intervention of American academic, Virginia =20 Gildersleeve, to turn Smuts’ unwieldy legalese into the =20 clarion call for a world of free peoples to which the =20 UN has dedicated itself these past five decades.=20
In important ways, this tension between a UN designed =20 to represent the interests of individual states and a =20 UN for the world’s people continues. =20
Will Nelson Mandela’s speech resolve it?=20
The speech-writers would also have been aware of the =20 vital contribution which the UN made in the liberation =20 of South Africa.=20
This, too, has been the stuff of myth and reality: the =20 champions of the old South Africa believing that =20 apartheid occupied every working moment of the UN’s =20 life; anti-apartheid strugglers anxious and angry that =20 the UN was unwilling to do more to bring minority power =20
Experience these past 18 months suggests that the =20 speech will be cautious and low-keyed. It will focus on =20 South Africa taking up its place as a worker-bee in the =20 international community.=20
The speech is therefore unlikely to directly dwell on =20 the government’s hopes for a seat on the Security =20 Council, notwithstanding the influence of many in the =20 foreign ministry who see this as an important goal. =20 Prudence has prevailed: South Africa believes that it =20 can earn Africa’s nomination for a permanent place on =20 the Security Council.=20
The president is unlikely to make targeted proposals on =20 other aspects of UN reform. He will, however, raise the =20 ritual concerns about the lack of democracy and =20 accountability in the organisation. And is certain to =20 touch on the UN’s perilous financial situation. This =20 will be an uneasy moment: South Africa owes the =20 organisation US$120-million and this question is on the =20 formal agenda.=20
Most of the speech will be devoted to security in =20 Southern Africa, and to the links between this issue, =20 economic growth and democracy. This will certainly =20 offer an indication of government’s thinking on peace-=20 keeping. Throughout the international community, the =20 pressure for this country to become the keeper of =20 Africa’s peace is deepening.=20
All this suggests that the president’s contribution =20 will be long on house-keeping and short on vision. The =20 mood in the foreign ministry is to focus on what they =20 believe is do-able rather than on longer-range goals.=20
This is not an uncontested view however. Many believe =20 that this approach under-plays the role which South =20 Africa should take on in the search for a more =20 peaceful, prosperous world. This is why the issue is at =20 the nub of the on-going quarrel over the country’s =20 foreign policy.=20
This is why the president’s speech cannot satisfy =20 either those who believe that the UN is for people or =20 those who insist that it is for states.=20
But think about this. For worse rather than better, =20 South Africa is not just ”another country” as some have =20 argued. The success of the transition and probably more =20 importantly, Nelson Mandela’s global standing continues =20 to set South Africa apart.=20
A task which still eludes the foreign ministry is using =20 our immediate past to locate the country in the rapidly =20 changing international system. The president’s speech =20 to this historic UN Conference would have been the =20 moment to do this.=20
This was certainly not the moment for South Africa to =20 recreate myths about itself — or its role — in the =20 re-direction of the United Nations. Most South Africans =20 are themselves struggling to come to grips with the =20 sheer enormity of what has happened to them at home and =20
But this occasion — with its stunning backdrop of =20 global theatre — could offer an opportunity for Nelson =20 Mandela to project a vision of South Africa in the =20 world which could last deep into the 21st century.=20
Peter Vale is professor of Southern African Studies at =20 the University of the Western Cape=20