South African president begins first British state visit, meets Queen

Описание: (12 Jun 2001)

1. Wide of guard
2. Close up of guard
3. Car arrives
4. Carriage arrives
5. Queen and Prince Phillip arrives in car, leaves car and approaches podium
6. Cut to guard
7. South African President Thabo Mbeki and wife, Zanele, leave car and approach podium, then shake hands with Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip
8. Various of Mbeki and royals
9. Wide of guard
10. All approach carriages
11. Queen and Mbeki drive away in carriage, Mbeki waves

STORYLINE:

South African President Thabo Mbeki landed in Britain Tuesday for a four-day state visit designed to illustrate the "strategic partnership" between the two countries.

Mbeki's arrival was heralded by a 41-gun salute at the Tower of London, and he and his wife, Zanele, were greeted at Windsor Castle by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

Grenadier guards in red tunics played the British and South African national anthems, and the visiting couple were driven to the 1,000-year-old castle in a procession of seven horse-drawn carriages.

A state banquet was to be held for the couple at the castle on Wednesday evening.

The queen's sons, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, will accompany Mbeki Wednesday on a visit to Scotland, where the South African leader is due to address the Scottish Parliament.

Mbeki, who is accompanied by eight government ministers and a business delegation, will address the UK Parliament on Thursday, and will meet British Prime Minister Tony Blair for talks expected to focus on trade, investment and conflict-resolution in Africa.

The visit highlights the increasingly important economic relationship between Britain and South Africa.

Britain is one of South Africa's top three trading partners, with about 5.5 (b) billion US dollars in trade passing between the two nations last year, a 40 percent increase from the year before.

On Thursday, Mbeki will deliver the keynote address at an investment conference designed to drum up more support for enterprises in South Africa.

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