BELGIUM will lobby its European Union partners to ratify a draft trade and development deal with South Africa, Belgian Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene said on Tuesday. “We hope there is a gift we can give you before the elections,” he said, referring to the deal which would improve market access in the EU for South African firms. Bilateral talks between South Africa and the EU, and the EU and Southern African Development Community countries could be strengthened, he told journalists after talks with President Nelson Mandela at the latter’s official Cape Town residence, Genadendal. Mandela said he was pleased Dehaene had come to brief him on the EU talks because Belgium plays an important role in the EU. Dehaene also discussed the trade agreement in talks with Deputy President Thabo Mbeki, also on Tuesday.