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President Thabo Mbeki arrived Monday, 4 November 2002, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia to lead the South African Delegation to the 8th ASEAN (Association of South - East Asian nations) Summit. During this period, he will address the Summit on the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and pay a visit to the King of Cambodia.

The invitation by ASEAN to President Mbeki is the first major opportunity to advance South - South co-operation and the strengthening of African - Asian solidarity within the context of NEPAD as the programme of the African Union. The South African delegation is quite optimistic that the Presidential Address to the 8th ASEAN Summit will create an opportunity "to dispel the wrongly held view in some quarters that NEPAD is a partnership only between Africa and the developed North".

The arrival of all the top Asian leaders went smoothly as regional heads gathered for three days of summit talks. Leaders from each of the ASEAN countries as well as Japan, China, South Korea, India and South Africa will attend the 8th ASEAN summit in Cambodia. Cambodia is the current Chair of ASEAN. South Africa's status at the 8th ASEAN Summit will be greatly enhanced as she (South Africa) occupies both the Chair of the African Union and the Non - Aligned Movement (NAM). Malaysia which is the incoming Chair of NAM (2003) will take over from South Africa in 2003. This Summit will create a vibrant atmosphere for the two countries, as South Africa will pass on the baton to Malaysia in 2003.

Tragically, this 8th ASEAN Summit takes place shortly after the Bali bomb blasts which claimed the lives of more than 180 people, amongst them, a South African, MrCraig Harty in Bali on Saturday, 12 October 2003.

For the next two days, top leaders will meet to discuss topics including regional terrorism, tourism and economic - cooperation, subjects which are high on the agenda of the South African government. The talks come as the ASEAN Countries are simultaneously rising up from a devastating economic turmoil in the late 1990's.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Dlamini Zuma; Director-General in the Presidency, Rev. Frank Chikan;e and legal adviser to the President, Advocate Mojanku Gumbi, will accompany the Presidential.

For more info, contactRonnie Mamoepa at 082 990 4853 or Nomfanelo Kota at 082 377 7208

Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs

5 November 2002