The most valuable lesson South Africa can share with the world from abolishing apartheid is that as long as different parties negotiate with an open mind and are willing to make compromises, they can eventually reconcile their differences and move forward, former South African president F.W. de Klerk said in Taipei yesterday.
Reviewing the key factors that brought an end to apartheid, De Klerk said that it could not have happened without inclusive discussions among all parties, which led to a South African constitution that is committed to non-racialism and an equal society.
“You cannot have real peace and resolve the problems of the past without really talking to each other,” De Klerk said.
Photo: CNA
De Klerk was the last president of apartheid-era South Africa. He is known for working with former South African president Nelson Mandela to end the country’s system of racial segregation and usher in a multiracial democracy, for which they jointly received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
Real dialogue involves not only honest communication, but also a willingness among all participants to make concessions, De Klerk said.
“Even the [worst] enemies can sit around the table and, through dialogue, reach agreement on the issues which divide them, and can together build a common vision for the future of the country,” said De Klerk, who was visiting Taiwan for the ninth time.
Commenting on the deadlock in cross-strait relations, De Klerk said that as long as China refuses to accept the existence of an independent Taiwan, Taiwan should continue to strengthen its democracy, develop its economy and forge relations with countries around the world.
Taiwan should also work more closely with African countries, as the continent is an “awakening giant” that could offer growing markets for exports, he said.
The nation should conduct a region-by-region review to identify the potential of different markets and boost trade ties with promising countries, De Klerk added.
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