/ 6 July 2000

BELGIAN PM ARRIVES IN SA

BELGIAN Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt arrived at Waterkloof air force base in Pretoria on Thursday morning for his first visit to South Africa. The Department of Foreign Affairs earlier said Verhofstadt would hold discussions with President Thabo Mbeki on the situation in central Africa and the Great Lakes region during his two-day visit. Verhofstadt was also scheduled to meet former president Nelson Mandela to discuss peace efforts in the Great Lakes region.