Transcript Treaty of Friendship and Partnership

BRIEFING TO THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS
PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON THE
TREATY OF FRIENDSHIP AND
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN SOUTH
AFRICA AND THE RUSSIAN
FEDERATION
Presentation by Ambassador Grobler: Acting DDG:
Americas and Europe
21 October 2008
MAP OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Profile of the Russian Federation
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Population
Size
Capital
Major language
Life expectancy
Monetary unit
Main exports
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Main imports
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GDP
GDP Growth
GDP per capita
142.7 million
17 075 400 sq Km
Moscow
Russian
58(M) 72(F)
1 rouble = 100 kopecks
Oil and oil products, natural gas, wood and
wood products, metals, chemicals, weapons
and military equipment
Machinery and equipment, consumer goods,
medicines, meat, sugar, semi-finished metal
products
US$1.8 trillion
6.2%
US$9 800
Domestic Politics
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President
Mr. Medvedev
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Prime Minister
Mr Vladimir Putin
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Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Sergei Lavrov
Federal state with a Republican form of government
Bi-cameral Federal Assembly which consists of:
- the upper chamber, Council of Federation
- the lower chamber, State Duma
Has 89 provinces
Presidential elections held 2 March 2008
Revival of Russia as a major world power
Multilateral co-operation rooted on national interests
Strengthening of influence in Commonwealth Independent States (CIS)
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Economic Overview
• Russia is the most economically developed area of former USSR
•Rich in Mineral Resources, Gas, Oil, diamonds, platinum group metals
•Economic mainstay – Oil and Gas and Construction boom
•Russia supplies 70% of the EU’s energy
•Eradication of poverty of rural sector of economy through increase of grants and basic
services: electricity, education
•WTO aspirations – South Africa supportive of Russia’s ambitions
Foreign Relations
•Near Abroad Policy: Consolidation of influence in CIS
•Strengthening of relations with neighbours in Asia ( China, India, Japan) –
• Envisages formalisation of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) to exclusion of SA
•A permanent member of the UNSC, - supportive of UN Reform
• Member of G8 – supportive of the Africa Action Plan
•Relations with Africa- debt forgiveness, peace keeping operations
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Tensions with former Soviet States :
Georgia – 2004 Rose revolution, aspirations to join NATO and the EU,
August 2008 military conflict, recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia
fully fledged states
Ukraine - 2005 Orange revolution, aspirations to join NATO and EU, Gas and
oil pipeline disputes, potential territorial disputes
Poland and Czech Republic – Installation of US Missile Shields, Military
posturing, Economic strife with Poland leading to
failure to adopt a New Co-operative Framework
between Russia and the EU
• African Agenda
- Russia’s interests in Africa mainly in the Mining and
Agriculture sectors
• Important African Countries to Russia – SA, Egypt, Angola, Namibia,
Algeria and Cote d’Ivoire
- Debt Relief and cancellation – linked to mining
concessions
- Peace-keeping: Russian soldiers and security
personnel are
involved in
UN Peacekeeping operations in Africa (Burundi, Rwanda and
Sudan)
HISTORY OF RELATIONS
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Moral and material support to the liberation struggle since the 1960’s
Increased training of personnel in the aftermath of the 1976 uprising
Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 leading to the disintegration of the Soviet Union and
Apartheid government in South Africa
High-level visits
- 1998 Deputy President Mbeki
- 1999 President Mandela
- 2006 President Putin to South Africa
- 2007 Prime Minister Fradkov to South Africa
- Annual ITEC visits by Minister Dlamini Zuma and Minister Trutnev
Bilateral relations with South Africa
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Establishment of Diplomatic relations in 1992
Treaty of Friendship initialled by Presidents Mandela and Yeltsin in 1999
Treaty of Friendship and Partnership signed by Presidents Mbeki and Putin in
2006
Treaty Ratified by Russia in December 2007
Inter-Governmental Committee on Trade and Economic Co-operation (ITEC)
-established in 2001
-key sectors: Trade, investment and banking
Minerals and energy
Transport, aviation and maritime
Water and Forestry
Social sector- Health and Education
Science and Technology
Business Council
Trade statistics 2008
- Exports from SA to Russia: US$ 237,831million
- Imports from Russia to SA: US$ 2,283,517 million
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International Agenda: Common positions
- Iran: Non-proliferation and the Peaceful uses of Nuclear Energy –
- UN reform - Russia is supportive of SA’s stand on the need for
comprehensive reform of the UN to reflect current realities
- Peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Middle East
Treaty of Friendship and Partnership
• The Treaty envisages strategic partnership between South Africa and
Russia
• Envisages regular high level interaction on bilateral and multilateral issues
• Enhanced collaboration to ensure a just and equitable international system
based on the UN Charter
• Commitment to multilateral disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction
- 1968 Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty
- 1972 Convention on Prohibition, Production and
Stockpiling of Biological Weapons
- 1993 Convention on Prohibition of the Use of Chemical Weapons
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Co-operation through Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation (ITEC):
- Science and Technology
- Minerals and Energy
- Water and Forestry
- Education
- Health
- Transport
- Agriculture
- Arts and Culture
Separate agreements are envisaged to implement the Treaty where existing
Agreements are not covered (Annexure B : Signed Agreements)
Treaty may be amended by mutual consent of parties
Treaty to be ratified and enter into force upon the dates of exchange of instruments
of ratification
Thank you!