(HERALD) Mozambican envoy delivers special message to President
Mozambican envoy delivers special message to PresidentHerald Reporters
MOZAMBICAN Defence Minister General Tobias Dai yesterday met President Mugabe to deliver a special message from President Armando Guebuza. General Dai — who is in Harare to attend the joint Zimbabwe-Mozambique defence and security commission meeting — delivered the message to Cde Mugabe at Zimbabwe House in Harare.
He, however, would not reveal the contents of the message, saying they were a matter between the two leaders.
Speaking to journalists after meeting President Mugabe, Gen Dai said relations between Mozambique and Zimbabwe had continued to strengthen since the days of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle.
The ties had evolved over the years and were now guided by the Southern Africa Development Community to which both countries are members.
Mozambican Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Vicente Veloso, who accompanied Gen Dai, dismissed reports that Zimbabweans had been denied entry into Mozambique following the scrapping of visas for citizens of the two nations visiting either country.
He said the protocol nullifying visa requirements came into force on November 3 but some Zimbabweans were mistakenly of the assumption that it became effective on November 1.
Mr Veloso said since November 3, Zimbabweans have been crossing into Mozambique without any hassles.
Speaking at the official opening of the joint permanent commission on security and defence later in the day, Gen Dai reaffirmed Mozambique’s commitment to further strengthen relations with Zimbabwe.
"If we look in retrospect, we see a promising future in co-operation and this will allow us to consolidate group efforts, particularly the urgent operation of the protocol on co-operation between Mozambique and Zimbabwe," Gen Dai said.
He said the meeting, which runs until today, would mainly focus on ways of co-operation between the countries in areas of defence and security.
Gen Dai added that issues such as cross-border crime as well as the phasing-out of visa requirements would be dealt with.
He also applauded the phasing-out of visas, saying this would go a long way in strengthening the friendship between the two countries.
Defence Minister Cde Sydney Sekeramayi commended Mozambique for standing by Zimbabwe as the country went through challenges engineered by Britain with the support of its Western allies.
"This shows that Mozambique has been a true friend. The Government of Zimbabwe is committed to the improvement and further qualitative transformation of our good neighbourly relations," Cde Sekeramayi said.
He said the joint commission would lay a firm foundation to further strengthen the bilateral relations between the two Sadc countries in defence, public and state security.
Cde Sekeramayi said Zimbabwe and Mozambique shared a common long and proud history of co-operation and should confront challenges together.
He also said that some Western media organisation were peddling lies about the country and challenged his counterpart to visit some farms to get first-hand information.
State security personnel, service chiefs and senior Government officials from both Mozambique and Zimbabwe are attending the meeting.
Labels: MOZAMBIQUE, REGIONAL INTEGRATION, ZIMBABWE
posted by MrK @ 6:34 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home