Maravi

Mugabe warns against military intervention

Mugabe warns against military intervention
By George Chellah in Harare, Zimbabwe
Sunday July 06, 2008 [04:00]

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has accused some SADC countries of contemplating military intervention in Zimbabwe and advised them to think twice before trying to fight his country. And President Mugabe said he was ready to talk to the opposition MDC as long as they recognised him as the duly-elected Head of State.

Addressing thousands of ZANU-PF supporters that thronged the runway at Harare International Airport to welcome him back home from the AU Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt on Friday afternoon, President Mugabe said there were countries that were lobbying for the removal of South African President Thabo Mbeki as the lead negotiator on the Zimbabwean crisis.

He praised President Mbeki whom he said was doing a good job as noted by the African Union who even urged him to carry on. President Mugabe said some SADC countries were contemplating military intervention in Zimbabwe.

"We ask them to think twice. We don't intend to fight with our neighbours. We are a peaceful country but if there are those who have ideas of fighting Zimbabwe, we say let them try it," President Mugabe said.

He said at the AU summit, a minority of African countries argued that they did not recognise his electoral victory. He, however, said Zimbabwe was aware of countries singing the tune of the British, Americans and their western allies to reject his victory.

President Mugabe said these countries were calling for the recognition of the March 29 election results, which MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai won in the first round of voting.

"I said no! It won't happen, it will never happen. In this summit, how many conducted elections the way we did? Nigeria was the first to lambast Zimbabwe, I said Nigerian elections were chaotic," President Mugabe said.

"I asked the Nigerian envoy if what he was saying in the summit was what his President had instructed him to say and I told him that I would find out from the President myself."

President Mugabe said the June 27 election results could not be rejected by anyone. He maintained that the results reflected the will of the Zimbabweans.

He said the AU resolved to accept the SADC proposed resolution that dialogue between the opposition and the ruling party continues.

President Mugabe said the decision of how the next Zimbabwean government would be constituted was left to Zimbabweans themselves. He also gave a condition for dialogue between the MDC and ZANU-PF to commence.

He said the MDC leader needed to accept that he was the duly elected leader of Zimbabwe for dialogue to start. President Mugabe explained that ZANU-PF was ready to negotiate but there were realities that the MDC and its western masters must accept.

"If they agree, we will enter into dialogue and listen to what they have in terms of ideas," he said.

He also advised British companies that were threatening to pull out of Zimbabwe to do it faster.

"The sooner you do it the better. Mr Brown withdraw all your companies. We don't want to be held to ransom," said President Mugabe.

Labels: MUGABE, NEOCOLONIALISM

posted by MrK @ 6:19 PM