Maravi

SA will always count on Cuba 100% - Zuma

SA will always count on Cuba 100% - Zuma
Written by Larry Moonze in Havana, Cuba
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 3:38:48 PM

SOUTH African President Jacob Zuma has said his country will always count on Cuba 100 per cent. Receiving Cuban Vice-President Esteban Lazo on Sunday at Union Buildings, President Zuma thanked the Cuban delegation for attending his inauguration on Saturday adding that the event would not have been complete without them.

"We have always felt very good with the Cubans because they have proven that their friendship is true, that we can always count on Cuba one hundred per cent," said President Zuma, who was accompanied by newly-appointed interior minister and former wife Nkosazana Zuma.

He passed his warm greetings to Cuban revolution leader Fidel Castro and President Raul Castro. President Zuma, according to the note published in Cuba's official daily Granma, expressed his interest in continuing to strengthen bilateral relations with Cuba.

And Vice-President Lazo gave President Zuma a personal message from his Cuban counterpart Raul congratulating him on the victory achieved by the ANC and his election as President.

He also transmitted Fidel's message.

Vice-President Lazo expressed the Cuban people's gratitude for South Africa's constant support in the struggle against the US-imposed blockade against the island as well as for the country's gestures of support after the hurricanes that lashed the island last year.

Later on, Vice-President Lazo participated in the commemorative event marking 15 years of diplomatic relations between Cuba and South Africa held at Pretoria's Freedom Park.

South Africa thanked Cuba for its support for Africa, and South Africa in particular in relation to the fight against apartheid.

Members of the Cuban delegation and the Cuba-South Africa Friendship Association placed wreaths at the Freedom Park's Wall of Names on which are engraved the names of more than 2,000 Cuban internationalists who died in combat in various independence struggle in Africa.

On Saturday, during President Zuma's inauguration, Vice-President Lazo held bilateral exchanges with various African leaders.

He had meetings with presidents and important figures from Angola, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Cape Verde, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, with the Vice-President of Iran, the president of the African Union Commission, former South African president Thabo Mbeki and Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, former foreign affairs minister.

Vice-President Lazo also had bilateral meetings with the King of Lesotho Letsie III who expressed his gratitude for the important cooperation that Cuba gives to the small state, including the training of human resources.

During his exchange with President Hifikepunye Pohamba, the Namibian leader expressed his appreciation of the historic relations that exist between the two countries.

President Pohamba acknowledged the special role played by the Cuban medical brigade in his country in attending to flood victims last March.

Labels: CUBA, JACOB ZUMA, SOUTH AFRICA

posted by MrK @ 2:41 PM