It is a question that just will not go away. After President Thabo Mbeki told parliament last year that he could not recall whether he met representatives of the French arms company Thomson CSF (now Thales) in Paris in 1998, a Democratic Alliance member of parliament is still not satisfied.

Eddie Trent now wants to know whether Mbeki met the head of Thales International, Jean-Paul Perrier, in May last year.

However, according to a statement on Thursday, Trent says National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete "has inexplicably ruled that my question to the president is sarcastic and hence offensive".

'The fact that Zuma was fired... only fuels this perception' Thales and its South African subsidiary, Thint, are facing trial later this year, along with Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption.

Mbete was not immediately available for comment.

Trent said Mbete had also ruled that the second half of his question had "improper imputations", as Mbeki did not have the power to give undertakings regarding criminal charges.

This missed the point, said Trent.

"It is not a matter of whether the president has the necessary authority to offer such assurances, but rather whether, rightly or wrongly, assurances of this nature were given.

"There must surely be numerous instances in his interactions that the president gives undertakings and assurances on behalf of the state that he personally cannot fulfil."

Trent said his latest question was designed to "probe the belief held in some circles that after the meeting in May between President Mbeki and Jean-Paul Perrier, Thales would provide evidence to assist in the prosecution of Jacob Zuma in exchange for some sort of immunity from prosecution for Thales.

"The fact that Zuma was fired shortly after the meeting in question only fuels this perception."

Trent said the question to the president was simple. "If he has nothing to hide, he could have simply answered that, yes, he met with Perrier to discuss investment opportunities and that he offered no assurances relating to indemnity from criminal prosecution for Thales.

"Instead, the fact that the Speaker's office took five days to provide me with the reasons why the question wasn't allowed appears to indicate that the president has something to hide and that there is a concerted effort to protect the president and cover up possible wrongdoing on his behalf."

Trent said the time had arrived for "the Speaker to stop protecting the president at all costs and to allow parliament to fulfil its constitutionally mandated role, namely to hold the executive to account".

Presidential spokesperson Murphy Morobe was not immediately available for comment.

This article was originally published on page 5 of The Star on March 24, 2006

With acknowledgement to Angela Quintal and Independent On Line.