United States President George Bush is likely to pay his first official visit to South Africa early next year, the foreign affairs department confirmed on Monday.
”All indications are” that Bush will undertake a tour of five African countries, including South Africa, said foreign affairs representative Ronnie Mamoepa.
However, no final date had yet been set for the visit, he said.
On Monday morning, Business Day reported Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad as having said on Sunday, after returning from the US, that plans were afoot for Bush to visit South Africa in
January.
US state department officials had said there was a ”possibility that Bush would visit early next year”.
The newspaper said Bush’s visit was likely to be a way of garnering support for his country’s war against terrorism and a possible incursion into Iraq.
It quoted Pahad as saying discussions had taken place on whether SA would be included on the itinerary, and possible dates being mentioned were in January.
More would be known about Bush’s visit to the continent when Assistant Secretary of State Walter Kansteiner visited South Africa next month. – Sapa