South African Support for H.R. 434, the African Growth and Opportunity Act

[James Love <love@cptech.org>]

Apparently sent to the House of Representatives today by
Rep. Jefferson

-----------------------------------------------
From:         Venable, Nicole
Sent:         Tuesday, June 29, 1999 12:12 PM
To:           Dear Colleague; HIRC - Dem LA's; HIRC Repub LA
Subject:      South African Support for H.R. 434, the African Growth and
Opportunity Act

Dear Colleague:

To Clarify the Record...

The following was released by the Embassy of South Africa:

WASHINGTON, June 28, 1999: The South African Ambassador to the United
States, Mrs. Sheila Sisulu, stated in Washington today that the South
African Government supports the passage of the African Growth and
Opportunity Act (HR 434) through Congress.

Ambassador Sisulu was responding to what she termed misinformation"
concerning South Africa's position on the Act. Speaking at the South
African Embassy in Washington, D.C., Ambassador Sisulu indicated that
various commentators had recently misrepresented the South African
government's position, leading to unfortunate confusion in this regard. In
particular, Ambassador Sisulu took umbrage at the unauthorized use by
opponents of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act of the name of former
President Nelson Mandela in their attempts to generate negative publicity
for the Act (HR 434).

The Ambassador emphasized categorically that the South African government
supported the overall objectives outlined in the  African Growth and
Opportunity Act,  particularly in as far as the establishment of a new
policy for trade and investment between the U.S. and sub-Saharan African
countries is concerned. Ambassador Sisulu made it clear that South Africa
has not given support to any other bill currently before Congress which
seeks to promote trade between Africa and the United States.

Ambassador Sisulu clarified South Africa's position on HR 434 by adding
that she felt that the development of a new trade dispensation with
sub-Saharan Africa is an ongoing process. As such, concerns which South
Africa has expressed in the past continue to remain a subject for
discussion.

CONTACT: Mr. Vicky Maharaj of the Embassy of South Africa, 202-716-3238

http://www.usafrica.org


                      Sincerely,

                      William J. Jefferson
                      Member of Congress

-- 
James Love, Director, Consumer Project on Technology
I can be reached at love@cptech.org, by telephone 202.387.8030,
by fax at 202.234.5176. CPT web page is http://www.cptech.org