President Thabo Mbeki and a number of people instrumental in the South African peace process met delegates from the Israeli Likud party in Pretoria on Tuesday.
The two-day meeting is designed to assist both Israelis and Palestinians find common ground with a view to developing a ”just, lasting and comprehensive resolution to the current conflict”, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Several meetings have been held with representatives of both Palestinians and Israelis since 2002.
”It’s not a governmental delegation but a South African delegation,” Mbeki told Israeli Minister of Industry and Trade Michael Ratzon.
The members of the Likud are in the country at Mbeki’s invitation.
”We are very interested in peace for Israel and Palestine. We are deeply touched when people die,” said Mbeki.
He said the talks will try to find a solution by getting everybody in South Africa involved.
”Let’s see what we can do,” he said.
The South African delegation includes serving and former ministers who participated in the talks leading to South Africa’s democracy.
Former foreign affairs minister Pik Botha, former constitutional development minister Roelf Meyer, former South African Defence Force general Chris Thirion, Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Minister of Defence Mosiuoa Lekota will be sharing their experiences with the Israeli delegation.
Ratzon, noting it is Israel’s first official visit to South Africa, detailed a programme that the Israelis feel needs to be taken into consideration during talks.
He said it is important to see the state of Israel as the state of the Jewish nation and to understand the details concerning the broad Israeli/Arab conflict.
”It’s a great pleasure and honour to be here,” he said.
Mbeki will be participating in the talks for a few hours before leaving to join an extraordinary summit of the African Union in Burkina Faso on poverty alleviation in Africa. — Sapa
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