President Thabo Mbeki will hold bilateral discussions with his British counterpart, Prime Minister Tony Blair on Saturday, 1 February 2003 at Chequers in Britain in the context of worldwide efforts to avert a war with Iraq.

In this context Roelf Meyer and Laurie Nathan are already in Baghdad, having met with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, on Saturday 25 January 2003, as part of their efforts to determine the role of civil society, both globally and nationally to help find a peaceful resolution of the Iraqi situation within the multilateral global system of governance - UN.

In this regard and during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) 57^th Session held in New York in 2002, President Mbeki had stressed "that the global multilateral system of governance remains our only response to the current challenges".

In his capacity as Chairperson of the African Union, President Mbeki will brief Prime Minister Blair about regional and continental efforts to bring about peace, security and stability as well as efforts aimed at the economic revival of the continent through NEPAD.

Attendance of African Union Summit

From Britain, President Mbeki, accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, will attend the Extra-Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 2 to 4 February 2003.

The Summit will consider recommendations of the Executive Council of Ministers, chaired by Dr Dlamini-Zuma, on proposed amendments to the Constitutive Act of the African Union. The proposed amendments were tabled at the launch of the African Union held in Durban in 2002. At the launch, the Heads of State and Government decided to refer the proposed amendments to the Executive Council of Ministers, chaired by, Minister Dr N Dlamini- Zuma for consideration and recommendations to the Extra-Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government.

For further information please contact Mr Ronnie Mamoepa at 082 990 4853.