South Africa's Zuma meets Queen in London (1st Lead)

Mar 3, 2010, 13:24 GMT

London/Johannesburg - South African President Jacob Zuma was given a full ceremonial welcome on the first day of his state visit to Britain Wednesday - despite his criticism of his host country's alleged 'colonialist' attitude to Africa.

Zuma, and his latest wife, Thobeka Madiba Zuma, joined Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, in a full-scale military welcome on Horse Guards Parade in central London, attended by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other senior political and military figures.

However Brown's office declined to comment on an interview Zuma gave before leaving South Africa, in which he accused his hosts of bearing a 'superior' attitude to Africans.

'We are very much looking forward to welcoming the head of state of South Africa. It is a very welcome visit by a very important member of the international community,' Brown's spokesman said.

Brown and Zuma were due to hold talks in Downing Street Thursday.

Zuma, a polygamist and former anti-apartheid activist, made the critical remarks in an interview with South Africa's The Star newspaper before leaving for London Tuesday.

'When the British came to our country, they said everything we are doing was barbaric, was wrong, inferior in whatever way. Bear in mind that I'm a freedom fighter and I fought to free myself, also for my culture to be respected,' the African National Congress (ANC) party leader told the paper.

In the run-up to his visit, Zuma's controversial lifestyle had been highlighted by some of the British media. Much of the coverage focused on recent revelations that the president fathered a child out of wedlock last year with a woman that is neither one of his three wives, nor his fiancee.

The affair caused a scandal in South Africa, where it raised questions about Zuma's fitness to lead and reignited a debate over the acceptability of polygamy.

London's Guardian newspaper wondered whether Zuma's 'colourful CV' would discomfit the queen but concluded that, 'given the range of distinctly ropey state visitors she has greeted during her 58 years on the throne it seems unlikely.'

The Daily Mail described Zuma as 'a buffoon' and 'a sex-obsessed bigot' and claimed he had 35 children.

The official number given by Zuma's office is 20.

'The British have done that before (look down on Africans), as they colonised us, and they continue to do this, and it's an unfortunate thing,' Zuma said, adding: 'If people want an engagement, I'm sure we will engage on that issue.'

Zuma's visit to Britain, where he will be seeking to reassure investors that his centre-left administration is not undertaking any radical policy shifts, is his first to a major European country since he came to power in May last year.