South Africa and France have declared shared ambitions for peace and stability in Libya, putting aside differences on the resolution of conflict in the North African state.
Addressing a joint press briefing in Pretoria on Friday, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and visiting France Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Alain Juppe agreed their differences on the implementation of United Nations Resolution 1973 had been ironed out.
The resolution saw Nato impose a no-fly zone over Libya.
“We know that we differed earlier on the interpretation of the resolution. We [are now looking] at how we can work together with the African Union to ensure that the country does not fall apart,” Nkoana-Mashabane told journalists.
Juppe said: “The resolution matter is now in the past. We fully support the rebuilding and the promotion of democracy in Libya. Our engagements touched on a number of issues in Africa and the world.”
Pretoria and Paris had been at odds in the past on foreign policy matters, particularly relating to Nato’s bombardment of Libya and France’s military attack on former Côte d’Ivoire president Laurent Gbagbo’s residence in April.
South Africa initially agreed with the passing of a UN imposed no-fly zone over Libya as a means of protecting civilians. Pretoria however later criticised Nato’s methods.
The Syrian problem
On Friday both ministers presented a united front when they spoke about the Syrian conflict.
“In Syria we share the same values. We agreed to increase our pressure to stop the violence on the population and sent a programme of reforms,” Juppe said.
“There is no question of military intervention. We assure our partners of that,” he said, adding that the situation in Syria “is completely different. It is another approach.”
South Africa abstained from a UN vote last month for a resolution, backed by Western powers, to condemn the violence in Syria, claiming a “hidden agenda” to bring down President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
“Syrians should not be subjected to any form of violence. That’s where we agreed with France. But we should encourage Syria on a road of peace,” Nkoana-Mashabane told reporters.
“Not a single South African leader, or from ANC, has ever in private or public condoned any form of violence in Syria. We subscribe to the principle of letting regional groupings, like the Arab League, take the leadership in resolving the conflict in its own region,” she added.
South Africa broadly opposes outside military intervention on the continent, rather seeking to mediate power-sharing pacts as a way to avoid armed conflict.
Being Switzerland
Nkoana-Mashabane said solutions in Syria could be found that were similar to the roadmap the 15-nation Southern African Development Community was trying to implement in Madagascar.
Asked about the African Union Commission chairmanship, Juppe said France would want to leave Africans to decide their own leaders without interfering. He distanced himself from suggestions that he had pledged support for South Africa’s candidate — Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
“I am surprised to hear that I support this candidate and I do not support that one. It’s a mystery to me. I never said that. Not even a member of my delegation has said that. I trust them.”
The AU chairmanship will be tightly contested as the incumbent, Jean Ping who has held the position since 2008, seeks a second term in office.
South Africa has nominated Dlamini-Zuma. The commission is due to be appointed in January next year.
Nkoana-Mashabane said the South African government respected France’s neutrality on the matter.
The two ministers’ talks came 17 days before the COP17 summit in Durban. France expressed confidence in South Africa’s ability to chair the negotiations for fruitful resolutions to fight global warming. — Sapa