Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Zuma to ask Britain to lift Zim sanctions

Zuma to ask Britain to lift Zim sanctions
TFT/TZG
Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:15:00 +0000

SOUTH Africa will ask Britain to end illegal and ruinous sanctions against Zimbabwe during President Jacob Zuma’s state visit to the UK next week.

Zuma, who will be staying with UK's Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace, believes US and European sanctions against Zimbabwe have made it more difficult to establish a viable coalition government in Zimbabwe and jeorpadise a chance for a free and election in the country.
“What have sanctions done to help the situation?” Zuma told the Financial Times in an interview in Pretoria.

“Zanu PF says we are in a cabinet of this unity government. But part of the cabinet can go anywhere in the world for their work and part [the Zanu PF members] can’t go out of the country.

"This unity government is being suffocated. It is not being allowed to do its job by the big countries.”

Zuma downplayed the importance of the issues of reversal of appointments demanded by the MDC-T party. The party wants the appointments of the attorney general and the reserve bank governor reversed. They also want convicted criminal Roy Bennett appointed as deputy agriculture minister.

In an earlier interview President Zuma said polls may be necessary as early as next year in order to break the deadlock.

Ahead of his election last year in South Africa, Zuma had raised expectations that he would adopt a tougher approach to President Mugabe than former president Thabo Mbeki, whose “quiet diplomacy” was much criticised in the UK.

President Zuma is unfazed by the possibility he will be harangued on the issue in London, arguing that the agreement and inclusive Government has allowed Zimbabwe to pull back from economic chaos and the brink of disintegration.

The existence of the country itself was at risk 18 months ago, Zuma said.

“South Africa has been one of the major players that actually pulled Zimbabwe back from getting into a disaster.”

By contrast, Europe and the US had continued with sanctions as if no agreement had been made.

“If we were in the shoes of the big countries I would have said here is an agreement, we are in support of this agreement and lifting sanctions, even conditionally, even for six months to a year, give a chance for this agreement,” he said.

Labels: JACOB ZUMA, SANCTIONS, UK, ZDERA

posted by MrK @ 3:46 AM