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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release July 30, 1997

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

President's Meeting with Deputy President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa

President Clinton met today with Deputy President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, accompanied by Vice President Gore. The President noted the remarkable progress South Africa has made in the past three years in building a country founded on tolerance, reconciliation, equality and respect for the rights of all citizens. The leaders reaffirmed our commitment to our strong bilateral cooperation and heralded the substantial progress made during the fourth meeting of the U.S.-South Africa Binational Commission this week. They also discussed a broad range of bilateral, regional and global issues including South Africa's leadership in working for a peaceful change in government in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo and our bipartisan proposal to create a Partnership for Economic Growth and Opportunity in Africa.

Finally, they welcomed the formation of the new Defense Committee under the Binational Commission and the inauguration of bilateral fora on Housing and Higher Education.

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