Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad arrives in Moscow later today at the invitation of the First Deputy Foreign Minister, Alexandr Avdeyev.
On 20 and 21 November 1998 Deputy Minister Pahad will hold wide-ranging discussions with his counterpart on bilateral political and economic relations. Developments in the region, Africa as well as multilateral cooperation will also be discussed.
Thereafter, the Deputy Minister will form part of the Deputy President Mbeki's delegation during the latter's discussions with Prime Minister Primakov.
Deputy Minister Pahad will also accompany the Deputy President to Stockholm from 24 November to 26 November 1998. During this visit he will hold separate discussions with the Swedish Minister for Development Cooperation (and Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs) Pierre Schori, on the establishment of a Swedish-South African Bilateral Discussion Forum.
This will serve as a mechanism to broaden and deepen the existing excellent relations between the two countries.
Deputy Minister Pahad will also accompany Deputy President Mbeki to Paris, France from 26-28 November 1998, to attend the 20th Africa/France summit, with Security in Africa as the theme of discussions. Mr Pahad will hold separate discussions with the French Foreign Minister, Mr Hubert Vedrine, during the visit.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA 19 NOVEMBER 1998