Maravi

(NEWZIMBABWE) Talks face collapse over sanctions

Talks face collapse over sanctions
by
28/01/2010 00:00:00

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF party says it will not be making any more concessions in the ongoing talks with its coalition partners over full implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) until sanctions are removed.

As the fall-out from remarks by British Foreign Secretary David Miliband over the sanctions continued, the Zanu PF supreme decision making body, the politburo said on Wednesday that the party’s negotiators have been instructed not to give any more ground in the on-and-off talks.

The three coalition partners are engaged in intermittent dialogue over so-called “outstanding issues” in the implementation of the political deal which facilitated the establishment of the inclusive government.

But clearly emboldened by Miliband’s remarks that sanctions would only be lifted on the advice of the MDC, Zanu-PF deputy information secretary Ephraim Masawi said the matter had become imperative.

The Zanu PF spokesperson said Miliband’s remarks exposed MDC-T’s "treacherous role" in the imposition of the sanctions adding the party was "a tool" of Western imperialism.

"The hypocrisy of the MDC-T’s denial of its role in the evil saga of the imposition of illegal sanctions now stands exposed for all to see.

"The people of Zimbabwe, as the victims of the MDC-T and Western murderous collusion, now demand that Mr Tsvangirai and his Western allies remove their evil sanctions so that children can go to school, the sick can be attended to in hospitals, people can find jobs and farmers produce.

“These are the effects of the sanctions and not the ‘restrictive measures’ as Mr Tsvangirai euphemistically calls them.

"The Politburo therefore instructs its negotiators on the GPA to desist from making concessions in the negotiations until the sanctions are removed and the pirate radio stations cease to pollute airwaves," he said.

Tsvangirai’s party is demanding that the appointments of the head of the country’s central bank and the attorney general be reversed but Zanu PF insists these were made constitutionally.

The MDC also wants its pick for deputy agriculture minister, Roy Bennett sworn into office and an “equitable” distribution of ambassadors, governors and other senior government appointments.

For its part Zanu PF has been demanding that the MDC do more to call for the removal of the sanctions and wants “pirate” radio broadcasts into the country stopped.

The talks, which are being facilitated by South Africa President Jacob Zuma have failed to take off this year and were moved to early next month.

Labels: DAVID MILIBRAND, GLOBAL POLITICAL AGREEMENT, MUGABE

posted by MrK @ 7:24 AM