In his quest to discover whether President Thabo Mbeki did meet French arms company officials, the Democratic Alliance's Eddie Trent has turned to South Africa's former ambassador to France, Barbara Masekela, for answers.

"Last week President Mbeki again evaded my question in parliament over whether or not he met with representatives of the French arms company Thompson-CSF on or about 17 December, 1998," Trent sent.

Trent last week tried to get answers from the president, but to no avail, during the presidency's Budget vote debate in the National Assembly. This, he said, left him with no choice but to get facts from elsewhere.

Thompson-CSF, now known as Thales, and its subsidiary, Thint, are being prosecuted for alleged corruption, along with ANC Deputy President Jacob Zuma.

Trent said he had written a letter to Masekela, asking if she had arranged the meeting in Paris between representatives of Thomson-CSF and Mbeki.

"The DA has in its possession a fax from B de Bollardiere (Senior Vice-President of Thomson-CSF) to Ambassador Masekela that suggests that this is the case."

He said, depending on the reasons for the meeting, it could amount to a gross violation of generally accepted tender or procurement procedures.

"Rumours that President Mbeki played a part in the arms deal will continue to persist until the truth comes out."

In an interview with the Cape Argus this year, Mbeki maintained he could "honestly not recall" whether he had met the executives while he was still deputy president.

Presidential spokesperson Mukoni Ratshitanga said on Sunday the debate in parliament had taken more than three hours and it had been impossible to answer all the questions directed at the president.

This article was originally published on page 2 of The Mercury on June 12, 2006

With acknowledgement to Boyd Webb and Independent Online.