Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
According to information received from the South African Embassy in Cairo, surrounding the tragic incident in Luxor, Egypt, earlier to-day, the South African Government has been informed that no South African nationals were involved.
The South African Government sincerely regrets the senseless attack on foreign visitors and Egyptian citizens alike. The loss of life and numbers of wounded are shockingly high. The South African Government extends its sympathies to the Government and people of Egypt as well as to the families and relatives of the victims.
Although the perpetrators of this callous act are yet unknown, it is the South African Government's deeply held conviction that acts of violence and ensuing loss of life have never produced genuine and permanent solutions to differences, whatever their nature might be.
President Mandela will be briefed on his return from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia later this evening, after which a personal message of condolence will be sent to the Egyptian President, Mr Hosni Mubarak.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA 17 NOVEMBER 1997