IFP leader Dr Mangosuthu Buthelezi will attend a summit on China’s rule of Tibet in Rome this month despite China’s reported request for him not to do so, his assistant said on Thursday.
”Buthelezi will leave in the next few days. He will go to attend a meeting in Rome,” said Thamsanqa Duma.
The Ilanga newspaper reported on Thursday that the Chinese government was trying to persuade Buthelezi not to attend a summit of world leaders in Rome to discuss China’s rule of Tibet.
The paper reported that China’s consul general, Liu Yantao, recently wrote a letter to Buthelezi asking him not to take part in the summit scheduled to take place later this month.
Attempts to persuade the SA government to block Buthelezi also failed.
Yantao refused to comment on Thursday.
”Mr Yantao has seen the questions you emailed to him and he does not want to comment,” said Jantao’s translator, who identified herself as He.
Duma said he was not aware of the request from Yantao for Buthelezi not to attend the meeting.
”I don’t know anything about the request. I have been on leave. The only thing I know is that Buthelezi will leave in the next few days,” said Duma.
He said Buthelezi was in Tanzania and was expected to return to Johannesburg to catch a flight to Italy. – Sapa