(TALKZIMBABWE) New British envoy avoids questions on Blair

New British envoy avoids questions on Blair
Chipo Rushwaya
Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:54:00 +0000

THE new British Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mark Canning, has refused to be drawn into the controversy around former prime minister Tony Blair’s remarks that President Robert Mugabe should be overthrown. Blair made the reported comment to the German magazine Stern this week.

“I think if you can get rid of Mugabe, get rid of him. The guy has destroyed his country," said Blair whose Labour government was accussed by President Mugabe of reneging on the agreement signed at the Lancaster House constitutional conference of 1979 where Britain promised to pay compensation to resettled white farmers.

Blair's government categorically denied that it had a responsibility for land reform in Zimbabwe. Canning, who presented his credentials to Mugabe yesterday, avoided questions about the issue.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has made diplomatic overtures to resolve the bilateral dispute between Zimbabwe and Britain. The dispute was internationalised by the Blair government leading to the imposition of sanctions against Ziombabwe by the US, UK and their allies.

President Mugabe says sanctions are responsible for the economic meltdown in the country.