Security experts yesterday said all events connected with Nelson Mandela's memorial service and funeral would be managed "by the second" to avoid diplomatic embarrassment that might arise from chance meetings of feuding heads of state.
"Everything will be timed to the second," said security specialist George Nicholls.
"State funerals are steeped in protocol and tradition. Usually, the overall planning of a state funeral is largely determined by the president and first family ... Consequently, who to invite or not invite rests to a large degree with the former president. This can occasionally create protocol headaches for the organisers," Nicholls said.
"[The heads of state] can be seated alphabetically to avoid [Zimbabwean President] Robert Mugabe sitting next to [British Prime Minister] David Cameron; and [Cuban President] Raul Castro Ruz sitting next to [US President] Barack Obama."
Diplomatic relations between these countries are extremely fragile. The UK and US have imposed sanctions on Mugabe's government, and Mugabe has made highly inflammatory comments about them.
The situation was not helped by comments made by former president Thabo Mbeki when he said that former British prime minister Tony Blair wanted Zimbabwe to be invaded. Blair denied this. He is one of the former heads of state expected at Mandela's memorial service.
The US's relations with both Cuba and Venezuela are highly volatile after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro expelled several US diplomats for "encouraging acts of sabotage".
Though, according to the alphabetical guest list of heads of state, the UK and Zimbabwe would be separated only by Venezuela, Nicholls said this would be ameliorated by the fact that royalty and senior world leaders of countries that are members of the UN Security Council - of which the US and UK are members - would be given preference in seating.
There was a stand-off between members of the US and the Libyan security details at Mandela's inauguration in 1994.
"There is always the possibility that politically opposed heads of state might meet but [President] Jacob Zuma won't introduce Obama at the same time as Castro, and their itineraries will be kept as independent as possible," Nicholls said.
Other countries that might be a cause for concern are Pakistan and India, and Japan and China. Tensions between Japan and China are so high that there are threats that the situation could develop into a shooting war.
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