It entails utilising your wealth of experience to build partnerships of mutual benefit with those excluded by past policies. Through such partnerships you could pass on the skills which have taken your own community from the economic margins into the mainstream, and help empower the nation as a whole. We are heartened by the presence here tonight of the distinguished Deputy-Ministers from Greece. We welcome you to South Africa and hope you enjoy your stay. Our government is determined to expand trade and investment links with Greece.
Discussions are in progress to that end.
The environment fostered by our transition creates the conditions for productive investments in South Africa, increased trade, cultural and other links between our two countries. Greece showed its concern for the well-being of all South Africans through the support it gave in the efforts to end apartheid. The establishment of democracy in South Africa opens the way for a new and productive partnership. I hope that I will be able to visit Greece soon, to help cement our relations. For our government the challenges are great indeed, and much depends on how we face them.