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(HERALD) ‘Zim can solve own problems’

‘Zim can solve own problems’
By Michael Padera

ZANU-PF is confident that if Britain, the United States and the European Union stop interfering in Zimbabwe’s affairs, Zimbabweans would soon find solutions to the country’s problems.

ZANU-PF is confident that if Britain, the United States and the European Union stop interfering in Zimbabwe’s affairs, Zimbabweans would soon find solutions to the country’s problems. In an interview yesterday, a member of the Zanu-PF inter-party negotiating team, Cde Patrick Chinamasa, blamed the political impasse in the country on the meddling by Britain, the US and the EU.

Cde Chinamasa, who is the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, also chairs the Zanu-PF sub-committee on information and publicity. He said MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai, through South African President Thabo Mbeki and several church leaders, had actually requested Saturday’s meeting at Zimbabwe House. He said Cde Mugabe agreed to the meeting in the interest of Zimbabweans.

"We appeal to foreigners and external forces to leave the resolution of the Zimbabwe situation to Zimbabweans alone.

"Britain, the US and the EU, in particular, should stop meddling in our affairs. It is very evident that their hand is involved and complicating the smooth dialogue between Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations," he said.

"We are confident that if we are left to discuss this matter as Zimbabweans, we will find a solution sooner rather than later," he added.

Cde Chinamasa said the agenda and interests being pushed by the West were different from those of the Zimbabwean people. He dismissed calls by MDC-T for the expansion of the mediation team, saying the African Union summit held in Egypt last week had endorsed President Mbeki as the facilitator for dialogue in Zimbabwe.

"As Zanu-PF, we will respect that resolution. There was consensus at the summit that bringing in additional people would complicate the matter and delay a solution.

"There was also consensus that should President Mbeki require additional manpower, he would say so,’’ Cde Chinamasa said.

He said following the AU summit, President Mbeki’s mediation now falls under the purview of the AU. He said for MDC-T to start shifting goalposts was sheer hypocrisy as the party was heavily represented in Egypt by its vice president Thokozani Khupe, US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer and British Minister of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Mark Malloch-Brown, who lobbied for MDC-T.

"As Zanu-PF, we are disappointed that Tsvangirai, who requested for the meeting, did not turn up. His no-show shows that someone is dictating the pace for him,’’ said Cde Chinamasa.

He said it had come to the attention of the Government that the British intelligence had assigned one Andrew Chadwick to handle Tsvangirai’s external communication.

"Tsvangirai is no longer his own person. He is receiving contradictory instructions from his handlers. Until Tsvangirai makes up his mind and throws the British and Americans from his back, a solution would be difficult," Cde Chinamasa said.

MDC-T spokesman Nelson Chamisa yesterday claimed that the party did not attend the inter-party talks held at Zimbabwe House on Saturday because it was not agreeable to the venue and had not been informed in time about the scheduled meeting.

Leader of the other MDC formation Arthur Mutambara, secretary-general Welshman Ncube and his deputy Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga attended the meeting that was mediated by President Mbeki. Vice President Cde Joice Mujuru was also present together with the Zanu-PF representatives to the inter-party talks — Cde Chinamasa and Cde Nicholas Goche, who is also the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. Yesterday, Chamisa said MDC-T was committed to dialogue as the only way to solving Zimbabwe’s problems, but indicated that his faction did not attend because they wanted an alternative venue.

"At night and during daylight, any hour the MDC-T remains committed to locating exit points to the crisis our country currently finds itself in. Our best foot forward as a nation is a negotiated settlement which should give rise to a transitional arrangement characterised by a new constitution and national healing," he said.

Chamisa said had the parties agreed on a neutral venue in advance, his faction would have attended. "Yesterday’s (Saturday) meeting was done without clarity. We had not agreed on the venue in advance. The announcement was some sort of surprise. We do not want to surprise one another," he said.

Chamisa said the MDC-T natio-nal council that met at the weekend resolved to have a negotiated settlement. He also said his faction was calling for the expansion of the mediating team to include an official from the AU.

"We want both Sadc and AU to superintend this process. We do not want to overburden President Mbeki. He cannot do this work alone. We want him to be assisted," he said. After Saturday’s meeting, President Mbeki said it was agreed that dialogue should proceed and that the MDC formation led by Tsvangirai should be part of the process.

Labels: COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, NEOCOLONIALISM, PATRICK CHINAMASA, UK

posted by MrK @ 1:23 AM