Maravi

(HERALD) African states reject US sanctions call

African states reject US sanctions call
Herald Reporter

AFRICAN leaders attending the Group of Eight Summit in Japan yesterday vehemently resisted Western-led pressure to support an American draft resolution to have the United Nations slap Zimbabwe with sanctions, as British Foreign Secretary David Miliband stage-managed a visit to the so-called refugee camps in South Africa to ratchet up anti-Zimbabwe pressure.

The seven-country-strong African contingent, led by African Union chairman President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, yesterday snubbed the coercive tactics of the United States and instead emphasised the need for dialogue. Leaders from Algeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa joined Tanzania in telling the G8 that sanctions would not help Zimbabwe in any way.

The G8 is a grouping of the world’s most industrialised nations. President Kikwete was quoted by online publications as saying while he recognised America’s concerns over Zimbabwe’s recent presidential run-off, he did not subscribe to the notion that sanctions were helpful. "The only area we may disagree on is the way forward," he said after a meeting with US President George W. Bush.

It is believed that South Africa’s President Thabo Mbeki took the lead in condemning sanctions as a solution to Zimbabwe’s challenges. America admitted it failed to get support from the African countries.

At a Press briefing, US Deputy National Security Advisor Dan Price told the American media in Washington that Bush had failed to convince Africa that sanctions were the right way forward. "There were differences. Not all leaders are there yet. Not all leaders are in a position to support sanctions at this time," Price said.

Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kazuo Kodama was also quoted as saying: "African leaders didn’t ask the G8 to do anything specific." He said the African heads of state had indicated that "sanctions may lead to internal conflict in Zimbabwe".

Indications yesterday were that the G8 itself was not united in the call for sanctions with Japan not interested in such a route and Russia — which can veto any sanctions proposal at the UN Security Council — also not supportive of the idea. Last week, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to the United Nations said most Security Council members were waiting for the AU to give them a cue on how to engage Zimbabwe. The recent AU Summit in Egypt resolved that dialogue, as called for by President Mugabe, was the best way forward.

Yesterday, the Government slammed British Foreign Secretary Miliband for visiting the so-called Zimbabwean refugee camps in South Africa, saying the move was calculated to coincide with the G8 summit that opened in Japan yesterday. Miliband, said the Government, was stage-managing events to ratchet up anti-Zimbabwe sentiments for the G8 summit. In a statement yesterday, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa, Cde Simon Khaya Moyo, warned Miliband "to stop his mischief".

"Yesterday’s (Sunday) so-called visit to Zimbabwean refugee camps in South Africa by British Foreign Secretary Mr David Miliband is a malignant political lie tailored to coincide with the opening of the G8 Summit in Japan today," Cde Khaya Moyo said.

He said there are no refugee camps in South Africa but centres for foreign nationals displaced during xenophobic attacks that rocked that country recently. "Mr Miliband must stop his mischief and attend to numerous problems affecting his disintegrating Labour Party in the United Kingdom," he said.

Cde Khaya Moyo reminded Miliband that Zimbabwe was no longer a British colony. "He has no business to come to South Africa and lecture on Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe long ceased to be a British colony and shall never be again." Cde Khaya Moyo said Britain should allow South African President Thabo Mbeki to execute his mediation in Zimbabwe as mandated by Sadc and recently by the AU without interference.

According to reports from South Africa, Miliband arrived in that country on Sunday and visited about 2 000 so-called refugees. He was quoted as saying it was imperative for a political solution to be found in Zimbabwe.

Miliband urged the international community to support the US-proposed sanctions against the country at a UN Security Council meeting to be held in New York. He pledged his country’s support to isolating President Mugabe and his Government.

Labels: AU, COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, DAVID MILIBRAND, JAKAYA KIKWETE, NEOCOLONIALISM, SANCTIONS

posted by MrK @ 7:06 AM