Process to reset relations, resolve disputes with US ongoing: Presidency

The Presidency said the process to reset its relationship with the United States (US) is ongoing and it’s committed to constructive dialogue to resolve the disputes it has with South Africa.

This comes in the wake of the country being disinvited to the G7 meetings in France in June, allegedly over pressure from the US, which is a member of the forum of developed economies.

However, presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said South Africa’s relationship with France is unaffected by the withdrawal of its invitation.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has attended G7 meetings as a special guest on at least five occasions on the invitation of past host countries: France, Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom.

South Africa’s inclusion on the guest list for this year’s French meetings was made known last June.

The Presidency confirmed on Thursday that through its embassy, France has retracted the invite personally extended by French President Emmanuel Macron during the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg in November.

However, Magwenya said South Africa’s bilateral relationship with France remains strong and won’t be impacted by the retraction of the invitation.

“The reason we were given was that it was due to sustained pressure from the US, including the threat to boycott the G7 Summit,” said Magwenya.

Magwenya said France succumbed to the threat because it couldn’t risk a key member of the G7 not attending the annual meeting.

“We remain committed to engaging in constructive dialogue with the US to resolve whatever dispute they have with South Africa,” he added.

The US has also barred South Africa from attending G20 meetings in that country this year, despite it being a member of the group and last year’s host.

US ambassador to South Africa Leo Bozell has claimed that Pretoria has ignored Washington’s missives to address what it views as problematic issues related to the country’s black economic empowerment policies and expropriation laws.

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