United States President George Bush gave his blessing on Wednesday to South Africa’s efforts to resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe.
Describing President Thabo Mbeki as a point man in the matter, he said in Pretoria: ”I have no intention of second guessing his tactics. We share the same outcome.”
Bush denied tension existed between him and Mbeki about the ”sad situation” in Zimbabwe.
Mbeki added: ”We didn’t fight [about Zimbabwe].”
Their remarks came days after apparent differences emerged between the two countries on how the turmoil in Zimbabwe should be tackled.
The two leaders were addressing reporters after bilateral discussions in the morning.
They were speaking from lecterns on a stage erected on the sprawling greens outside the Presidential Guest House. More than 60 reporters and dozens of camera people attended after going through a stringent security check.
At the edge of the lawn, policemen on horseback were keeping watch.
Bush arrived in Pretoria on Tuesday night for a brief official visit as part of a five-nation African tour.
His Secretary of State, Colin Powell, urged South Africa late last month to ”play a stronger role that fully reflects the urgency of Zimbabwe’s crisis”.
In reaction, South Africa reiterated its stance that outsiders could not impose a solution on Zimbabwe. This was a matter for Zimbabweans themselves.
Asked about the issue on Wednesday, Mbeki said: ”We are absolutely of one mind… about the urgent need to address the political and economic challenges of Zimbabwe.
”It is necessary to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.”
Mbeki said he had told Bush the government of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change were engaged in discussions.
Mbeki welcomed a commitment by the US to provide financial and other support for Zimbabwe once a political settlement had been reached in that country.
Bush said it was important for the US, be it himself or Powell, to speak out when people’s freedom were being taken away.
”And that’s what we’re going to continue to do.”
But Mbeki was in touch with both parties involved in Zimbabwe’s problems.
”He is — he believes — making good progress. And the US supports him in this effort.”
On HIV/Aids, Mbeki said South Africa was working on a programme or proposals on how it could access $15-billion the US had made available to fight the disease. This was being done at the request of the US.
”We want to respond to that request from the US government as quickly as possible. We will do that and convey it,” Mbeki said.
”So it will be out of that process of discussion that will result… a particular concrete kind of action, with the costing when we get to that stage.”
Bush said a sound strategy was needed to make sure the money was well spent, and would result in saving lives. This meant effective treatment and prevention programmes. It would also entail developing infrastructure in remote corners of different countries so that anti-retroviral drugs could be provided to those who needed help.
The morning’s talks also touched on pharmaceuticals in a broader context. Bush reiterated his country support for a moratorium on the enforcement of patent laws related to diseases causing pandemics.
”We will continue to work with South Africa and other countries to see if can reach a common-sense policy on that.”
Such a policy would, on the one hand, protect intellectual property rights while, on the other, make life-saving drugs widely available at a reasonable cost.
Both presidents spoke glowingly of the bilateral relations between their countries. These would undoubtedly be strengthened by the Bush visit, Mbeki said.
Bush said: ”We appreciate our strong relationship — and it is a vital relationship.”
The two presidents held one-to-one talks for about 25 minutes after Bush was formally welcomed at the Union Buildings. They then went into broader bilateral discussions. Powell, Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Walter Kansteiner, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, and White House chief of staff Andrew Card joined on the US side.
The South African delegation included Foreign Minister Nkosazana Zuma, her deputy Aziz Pahad, and Trade and Industry Minister Alec Erwin.
Bush leaves for Botswana on Thursday morning but will return to South Africa in the afternoon to spend the night in a Pretoria hotel.
His final farewell to South Africa will be on Friday morning when he leaves for Uganda. The last stop on his tour is Nigeria. – Sapa