24 August 2000
Issued by: Department of Minerals and Energy
The Deputy Minister of Minerals and Energy of South Africa, Ms Susan Shabangu, concluded talks with the Deputy Minister of Mines and Metals of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr J. Sargheyme, with regard to the status and progress on the co-operation agreement between the South African and Iranian Governments yesterday.
Deputy Minister Shabangu, in view of our commitment to the White Paper on Energy Policy, explored relations with Iran on alternative energy resources. An important objective of the Energy Policy of South Africa, as stipulated in the White Paper, is the provision of basic energy services to meet the needs of the poor to stimulate productive capacity and meet the needs of community services.
After a variety of meetings, the parties involved expressed their eagerness to expand trade relations and to increase trade volumes of crude oil and petroleum products. In addition, the possibility of using the storage facilities for crude oil and other petroleum products in South Africa, would be considered. These are only two of the many other established energy carriers in our country.
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ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATIONS (GCIS) ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MINERALS AND ENERGY