PRETORIA, Feb 4: South African President Nelson Mandela has lauded the role played by Indian leaders in his country's fight against apartheid, and expressed the hope that bilateral ties between the two nations will remain strong.``We have had a score of instances in which India came forward to support our struggle against apartheid... Mahatma Gandhi, one of the greatest statesmen in the world, showed us how one can have the courage and stamina to fight a dictatorship of a minority,'' Mandela said here yesteray.
``We have had people like Pandit (Jawaharlal) Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel and Sarojini Naidu, who had, on countless occasions, committed India to support the anti-apartheid struggle in this country,'' he said accepting the credentials of L C Jain, India's new high commissioner in South Africa.
Earlier, presenting his credentials, Jain referred to the friendly agreements between the two countries and said substance was lent to the strategic partnership through the quantum jump in bilateral trade anddeepening of scientific and technical cooperation in the past few years.
Stating that there is room for the two countries to share mutual experiences, Jain, according to an official release, said, ``India would like to walk together with South Africa, to share the experience of nation-building.''
He termed Africa as the continent of hope and lauded its visionary and vibrant leadership.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
