President Thabo Mbeki denied on Sunday that the government was backtracking on a framework agreement it reached with labour and business on a plan to treat people with HIV/Aids.
”Discussions are going on about this. There is no agreement that the government is not signing,” the president said in an interview with the SABC.
”There is a continuing process of discussion about this. Where the idea came from that there is an agreement ready to be signed, I don’t know.”
The Congress of SA Trade Unions and the Aids lobby group the Treatment Action Campaign have accused the government of holding up the signing of a framework agreement on the treatment and prevention of HIV and Aids.
They said the deal was drafted by a task team representing the government, labour and business in the National Economic Development and Labour Council —
but has so far been signed only by labour and community representatives.
Mbeki has been criticised for ”neglecting” the topic of Aids in his state of the nation address to Parliament on Friday. On the same day, thousands of Aids activists, trade unionists, religious leaders and members of the public marched on Parliament to urge the government to put in place a national Aids treatment plan.
On the issue of Zimbabwe, another topic he was accused of skirting over on Friday,
Mbeki reiterated there would be no interference on the matter of that country’s political leadership.
”We are not going to be going around the African continent removing governments. The matter of who governs Zimbabwe, is a matter that is in the hands of the people of Zimbabwe.
”The problem is not lack of understanding of what we are saying and doing — the problem is difference of opinion about what to do.”
Mbeki said extended sanctions against Zimbabwe, as envisaged by Australia, would not be helpful. Such sanctions would have to be mandated by all member heads of government of the Commonwealth.
”It surely can’t be in our interest to contribute to the collapse of Zimbabwe, because we will inherit all of the consequences of that collapse,” he said. ”Why do we want Zimbabwe to collapse rather than helping to make sure that Zimbabwe
overcomes its problems?”
Discussions were continuing with Zimbabwe to rectify political and economic problems, the president said. The solution to that country’s problems lay in the hands of Zimbabwe’s leaders, and it was therefore important for talks between the governing party and the opposition to get underway as soon as possible, he added. Talks have been delayed by a court challenge of last year’s election results.
Turning to Iraq, the president said a South African team to be set up to advise that country on disarmament had not been finally constituted. On suggestions that apartheid chemical warfare expert Wouter Basson would form part of the team, he said: ”Certainly in the group I met last week, he wasn’t there.
”Mbeki announced on Friday a team of specialists would soon fly to Iraq to share with that country the experience of South Africa’s voluntary disarmament programme — which he said was widely regarded as an example of international best practice. The president reiterated that South Africa hoped for the matter
to be settled peacefully. – Sapa