Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad will attend a
Non-Aligned Movement (Nam) Troika meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
on Thursday.
The meeting is expected to discuss the strengthening of the
multilateral body to face up to new challenges such as terrorism
and globalisation.
Briefing the media today before his departure, Pahad said he would
also attend the Nam Committee meeting on Palestine, to consult with
all role players to put the proposed Middle East roadmap on
track.
He said the strengthening of Nam was of utmost importance bearing
the different challenges facing it, such as international
terrorism, globalisation and multilateralism. "We will try to see
how Nam can be more effective in its response to globalisation,
international terrorism. We want to see Nam playing a more
pro-active role instead of being reactive. We will see how Nam can
bring about peace in conflict areas using dialogue and diplomacy,"
said Pahad.
On the issue of Nam involvement in Mideast, Pahad said "we will try
to consult with different role-players to begin to put the roadmap
on track."
The Middle East roadmap drafted by a quartet comprising the US,
Russia, United Nations and the European Union in 2002, proposes the
creation of two separate independent Palestinian and Israeli states
living side-by-side, in peace.
He said he hoped Nam would work towards finding a lasting solution
to the Mideast crisis, which has seen violence escalating that pits
Palestinian suicide bombers against the Israeli military.
Pahad added the Nam meeting would also look at ways to find lasting
solution to the Iraqi crisis, which has seen the country
deteriorating further into chaos since the US-coalition ousted
Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
Meanwhile, Deputy President Jacob Zuma will attend the SADC Special
Summit of Heads of State and Government on Agriculture and Food
Security in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, next Saturday. Agriculture and
Land Affairs Minister Thoko Didiza will accompany Zuma. - BuaNews |