Cuba Relations briefing postponed; Deliberations on proposed trip to Israel

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International Relations

31 October 2012
Chairperson: Mr T Magama (ANC)
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Meeting Summary

The Committee was scheduled to receive a briefing on the relationship, achievements and highlights of cooperation with Cuba, but the Cuban delegation declined the invitation because the Cuban ambassador had not yet been appointed. The meeting would be rescheduled for another date when the Ambassador could attend.

Lack of a quorum prevented the Committee from adopting any reports and minutes, but invitations and future plans were discussed. The Committee was concerned that the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) had addressed individual invitations to Members to attend the African Regional Heads of Missions Conference, running in that week, and agreed that in future such invitations must be sent to the Committee.

Members also noted that DIRCO had strongly recommended that the Committee’s proposed trip to Israel and Palestine in January be postponed, because it currently coincided with the Israeli elections. DIRCO suggested that the Committee would not be able to meet with top officials, because they would be preoccupied with the elections, and this might lead to criticisms of a one-sided view. Members felt these fears were exaggerated, noted that other bodies had already offered to ask their representatives in the countries to meet Members, and that in fact making the trip during election time would be the perfect time to see first-hand what it was that the people were fighting for. The Chairperson agreed that the decision ultimately lay with the Committee, and agreed to convey these views to DIRCO.


Meeting report

Cuba relations: postponement of briefing
The Chairperson noted that although the Committee was scheduled to receive a briefing on the relationship, achievements and highlights of cooperation with Cuba, the Cuban delegation had sent its apologies, noting that the Cuban ambassador had not yet been appointed. A new date would be arranged when the Ambassador could be present.

Other business
The Chairperson noted that since there was not a quorum, Members could not adopt reports and minutes, but it was agreed that in the meantime Members would study the documents and propose changes later.

African Regional Heads of Missions Conference
The Chairperson stated that all the heads of missions in the region had been invited to the African Regional Heads of Missions Conference. All the Committee Members had also been invited, although the invitation had stated that the Committee Chairperson only was invited. The conference had begun that same day but the Parliamentary programme prevented Members from attending before Friday. The Committee Secretary would make arrangements for members who wanted to attend.

Mr B Elof (DA) stated that he had received an individual invitation to the conference, from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).

Another Member commented that this was ineffective, and that DIRCO should have addressed the invitation to the Committee as a whole.

Mr M Booi (ANC) agreed that DIRCO should be asked, in future, to communicate via the Committee channels, as Members represented the Committee.

Israel-Palestine Trip
The Chairperson stated that the Committee’s visit to the region had been approved. However, DIRCO had advised that because Israeli elections were due to be held in January, key players to the talks would not be available. He had held discussions with Ambassadors Jerry Matjila, Director General, DIRCO, and Ismail Coovadia, as well as discussing the matter with the opposition parties, but no agreement had been reached on the dates. DIRCO had pointed out that the Israeli Foreign Ministry agreed with rescheduling the trip to March-April next year.

The decision whether to proceed with the trip ultimately lay with the Committee, but the Committee was
completely dependent on DIRCO to facilitate the trip. He was concerned about the success of the trip, and with the fact that DIRCO was not in favour of proceeding with it in January. He asked Members to bear in mind that setting up this trip had been a long and difficult fight.

Mr I Davidson (DA) stated that if Members decided to go, DIRCO would be duty-bound to facilitate the trip. He asked to what extent the itinerary had been prepared, and dates arranged with the people the Committee needed to see, and what their availability was. He pointed out that there would not be a problem with Palestine, and he thought the present incumbent in Israel would be re-elected. He added that Israel-Palestine was a world hotspot and the issues to be discussed were very sensitive, and wondered if there was reluctance on the part of DIRCO that the Committee ask questions about the sensitive subjects.

Mr Booi stated that parliament had invested in this issue for a long time. Members needed to see what the progress was on the ground. DIRCO should be honest about what precisely it did not want members to see in the area. Members needed to hear all sides of the story.

Mr Elof was of the view that January was in fact the best time to go, because the charged environment during elections would enable Members to see exactly what it was the people were fighting for.

A Member said that the Committee was representing the whole of South Africa, as South Africans needed an informed report on what was going on in Israel. There was a moral obligation to go ahead with the trip.

The Chairperson noted that Members seemed to share the same view on the issue. He reiterated that his engagement with the Director General and the Ambassador pointed to the fact that they felt strongly that the trip should not proceed at this time. Mr Matjila had said that, in the past, when Committees went against the advice of the Department, their trips ended up not being a useful exercise. In addition, since Members would not be able to speak to some prominent political figures, DIRCO felt that the meeting would be criticised for being one-sided. He added that if the Committee’s visit was not supported by the Israeli government, Members might not be allowed to travel to Gaza from Israel, but would instead have to go to Egypt and connect to Gaza from there. These issues had to be taken into consideration.

Mr Davidson stated that when word got out that the Department and Committee would be making this trip, he was immediately contacted by representatives from the Zionist Federation and the Jewish Board of Deputies, amongst other bodies, who were very keen to arrange various briefings for the Members. He was sure that these bodies would do everything in their power to make sure the best representatives of their views met with Members. He was also confident that the Israeli side would be more than willing to meet with members to give their side of the story.

Mr Booi believed that the fears of DIRCO were unfounded, as governments did not fall apart just because elections were announced.

The Chair said that he would communicate the Committee’s feelings to DIRCO.

The meeting was adjourned.



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