[NYTr] Cuba, South African Boost Strengthen Relations
 
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2007 11:10:52 -0500 (CDT)


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Cuba-South African Talks Satisfactory

Havana, July 12 (acn) South African Deputy Foreign Minister, Aziz 
Pahad, highlighted on Wednesday the positive results of his meeting in 
Havana with his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla.

Mr. Pahad said both countries are boosting their economic relations to 
expand cooperation in the fields of tourism and mining.

The African official pointed out that Cuba is willing to cooperate in 
the areas of healthcare, construction, sciences, technology and 
education, while his country will do the same in the fields of tourism 
and geosciences.

During the meeting, the officials talked about important topics such as 
the current situation in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Iraq, 
Afghanistan, and the Middle East.

They also referred to the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and to the 
most recent Latin America-Africa Meeting.

The South African delegation is also made up of the Minister for Public 
Service and Administration, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, and Deputy 
Minister of Finance, Jabulani Moleketi.

                             ***

BuaNews via all-Africa.com - Jul 10, 2007
http://allafrica.com/stories/200707100777.html

South Africa: Ties Strenghthened With Cuba

by David Masango
Tshwane

Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad and Deputy Finance Minister
Jabu Moleketi are currently in Cuba to strengthen South Africa's
already existing bilateral ties with the Latin American country.

Deputy Ministers Pahad and Moleketi are visiting Cuba as part of their
four-nation tour which also includes Panama, Mexico and Spain.

The visit is aimed at consolidating South Africa's commitment to
political, economic and trade relations with Cuba, the Foreign Affairs
Department said Tuesday.

"Cuba is one of South Africa's most important political partners in
Latin America and the Caribbean, with whom South Africa has the
strongest bilateral exchanges in a variety of fields of socio-economic
activity," the department said.

South Africa's main exports to Cuba are calcium, footwear, platinum and
synthetic fibres and they mainly import vaccines for human medicine,
rum, cigars and other tobacco products.

Mr Pahad and his Cuban counterpart Deputy Foreign Minister ,Bruno
Rodriguez, will also co-chair the 5th Session of the Joint Consultative
Mechanism between South Africa and Cuba, scheduled from Tuesday to
Wednesday in Havana.

Issues on the agenda will include:

    *  perspectives on regional developments in Latin America and the
Caribbean, Sadc and Africa;

    *  peace and security challenges in Africa;

    *  developments within the Non-Aligned Movement (Cuba is the
current Chair of the NAM);

    *  the comprehensive reform of the United Nations (UN) and South
Africa's tenure of the non-permanent seat on the United Nations
Security Council (UNSC); and

    *  progress towards the 2008 African Union Diaspora Conference to
be hosted by South Africa.

Mr Pahad will also brief African and Middle Eastern ambassadors on
developments in Africa and the Middle East and, Deputy Minister
Moleketi will also hold discussions with a number of prominent people,
Tuesday.

They include Deputy Minister of Finance and Prices Alejandro Gil
Fernandez; First Deputy Minister of Tourism Alexis Trujillo Morejon and
First Deputy President of the National Institute of Sport Roberto Leon
Richard.

The two deputy ministers will leave Cuba for Panama, Wednesday.

                             ***

Cuba and South Africa Strengthening Relations

Havana, July 10 (acn) Delegations from the foreign ministries of Cuba 
and South Africa began a two day exchange on Tuesday in Havana aimed at 
strengthening bilateral links.

Topics on the agenda include joint work, issues related to the 
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), South Africa-South America relations, and 
South Africa's experience as a non-permanent member of the United 
Nations Security Council.

Heading the delegations are Cuba's First Deputy Foreign Minister Bruno 
Rodriguez Parrilla and South African Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad.

Parrilla thanked South Africa for its stance taken against the economic 
blockade of the island imposed by the US and against that same 
country's anti-Cuba campaign regarding human rights violations.

Both Cuba and South Africa maintain similar objectives in international 
organizations such as NAM and the Group of 77.

       
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