Mbeki postpones visit

2005-01-08 21:33

Pretoria - President Thabo Mbeki has postponed his planned visit to the Ivory Coast to Tuesday, the president's spokesperson Malerato Sekha said on Saturday.

Mbeki's departure for the Ivory Coast was originally scheduled for Sunday, but has now been delayed until Tuesday.

Sekha said Mbeki would first travel to Gabon to attend a three-day African Union (AU) summit and only after the summit fly to the Ivory Coast.

The summit would take place in Libreville, Gabon's capital city, from Sunday until Tuesday night, she said.

Mbeki has been mandated by the AU and the Economic Community of West African States to solve Ivory Coast's political conflict.

Foreign affairs department spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said this week that Mbeki would be accompanied by Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota and Aziz Pahad, the deputy minister of foreign affairs.

Mbeki was expected to hold discussions with, among others, Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo, and Prime Minister Seydou Diarra in Abidjan.

The principal objective of the visit is to review progress in the implementation of the roadmap developed by all parties in the Ivory Coast following consultations with Mbeki since November 9.

- SAPA