Issued by: Office of the Executive Deputy President T.M. Mbeki
PRESS STATEMENT
DEPUTY PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI TO VISIT INDIA
Executive Deputy President Thabo Mbeki will visit India from 3-7 December 1996 at the invitation of Vice-President K.R. Narayanan of India.
His visit coincides with the second meeting of the South Africa-India Joint Commission, co-Chaired by Mr Aziz Pahad (Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs) and Mr I. Gujral (Indian Minister of External Affairs), which will be held in New Delhi from 2-3 December 1996. Discussions in the Joint Commission will focus on bi-lateral co-operation in the political, defence, economic, trade, health,k cultural, scientific and technological fields. The first meeting of the Joint Commission was held in Pretoria in July 1995.
While in India, the Deputy President will pay a courtesy call on President Shankar Sharma and will hold talks with the Vice President, Prime Minister, Minister for External Affairs, Minister of Finance, Minister of Home Affairs, Leader of the Congress Party and the Leader of the Opposition.
He will also meet with various Indian business leaders in Mumbai and New Delhi. The Jawaharal Nerhu University will also confer an Honorary Doctorate of Letters on Deputy President Mbeki.
It is expected that the Deputy President will sign agreements on Cultural exchanges, Avoidance of Double Taxation, Promotion and Protection of Investment and a Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Co-operation.
The Deputy President will be accompanied by the following Ministers and Deputy Ministers:
Deputy President Mbeki will return to South Africa on Saturday 7 December 1996.
Issued by: Ricky Naidoo, Deputy Director: Communication
Date: 29 November 1996
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