Maravi

Mugabe holds talks with UN emissary

Mugabe holds talks with UN emissary
By Kingsley Kaswende in Harare
Thursday June 19, 2008 [04:00]

UN chief Ban Ki-Moon's political envoy on Tuesday afternoon held talks with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe as he begun his visit to the country aimed at reducing political tensions ahead of the presidential election runoff next week. President Mugabe was also expected to meet with South African President Thabo Mbeki in Bulawayo yesterday where they were scheduled to discuss events preceding the runoff election.

Haile Menkerios, the UN assistant secretary-general for political Affairs, arrived in Harare on Monday evening for a five-day visit to Zimbabwe, which has been beset by deadly political violence since the first round of the presidential election on March 29.
Menkerios discussed the current political climate with President Mugabe, and held talks with foreign affairs minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi.

He is expected to meet other government officials, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), election observer teams and the two parties contesting the runoff during the remainder of his visit.

Briefly speaking to journalists after meeting President Mugabe at his Munhumutapa offices downtown Harare, Menkerios said he had come to assess the situation before the elections.

"I have been sent here by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to try and learn what the conditions on the ground are like ahead of the forthcoming elections... We have heard reports about the security situation. The reports have been about violence, people being displaced, houses being burnt. The Secretary-General is concerned about what measures can be put in place ahead of the elections," Menkerios said.

President Mbeki was yesterday expected to fly to Bulawayo to meet President Mugabe and discuss the forthcoming presidential election runoff and the campaigns.
It was not clear whether the SADC-appointed mediator would also meet representatives from the opposition MDC, as they were not in Bulawayo.

President Mugabe would travel to Bulawayo for the meeting after addressing rallies in the southern towns of Gwanda and Beitbridge.

In the runoff, scheduled for June 27, President Mugabe will face MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai after the two leaders polled the highest number of votes in the first round.

Labels: MUGABE, UN, ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 3:27 AM