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(TALKZIMBABWE) Clinton misleads the world on Zimbabwe

Clinton misleads the world on Zimbabwe
By: TH-TZG
Posted: Friday, June 18, 2010 10:55 am

THE United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has come under fire from the Government of Zimbabwe for not knowing what the real situation in Zimbabwe is and misleading the world on many issues.

The wife of former US President, Bill Clinton, claimed an American congressman had been denied a visa to visit Zimbabwe, when in fact he had already visited the country.

In a diplomacy briefing on Sub-Saharan Africa in Washington on Monday, Clinton said the Government of Zimbabwe had barred Congressman Donald Payne from entering the country a few months ago.

However, Payne was in Zimbabwe on a two-day visit, which was his second such trip to Zimbabwe in a year.


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Clinton said: "Congressman Donald Payne ... is probably, in the Congress, the most knowledgeable, strongest advocate for African interests.

"And when he tried to go to Zimbabwe a few months ago -- right, Donald? The Government of Zimbabwe would not let him in because they don't want somebody who has his expertise and experience actually seeing for himself all of the difficulties that are now apparent in Zimbabwe."

She added: "But we're going to persist ... and working with people like Congressman Payne to try to give the people there a better future."

Payne was in Zimbabwe in early April this year on a two-day visit during which he met MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai and representatives of non-governmental organisations.

In her diplomacy briefing, Clinton described Payne as a "very strong, consistent supporter of Africa and Africa's needs".

Payne lobbied vigorously for the enactment of the much-discredited US sanctions law, the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act. The sanctions Act remains in force until Zimbabwe's land tenure structure reverts to pre-1998 patterns when a few thousand whites held the most productive farmland.

Under ZDERA, US executive directors in multilateral financial institutions are instructed to oppose extension of loans, credit or guarantees to Zimbabwe.

On Wednesday, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity Mr George Charamba expressed shock at Clinton's "ignorance".

"How can she claim Payne was denied entry when he was here in April? "I wonder what else the American State Department and their embassy here have gotten wrong on Zimbabwe."

A Foreign Affairs Ministry official also confirmed Payne had never been denied entry into Zimbabwe "despite him being a proponent of our demise".

"These guys are always welcome as long as they follow the right protocols.

"They have sent several delegations to Zimbabwe without any problems even though they cannot extend the same courtesy to half of our Government," the official said.

The US Embassy in Harare did not responded to this diplomatic gaffe despite a request. by The Herald newspaper.

Payne is a member of the Congressional Committee on Foreign Affairs and chairman of the subcommittee on Africa.

He is also a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus that refused an invitation from President Mugabe to observe the 2002 Presidential elections after being so instructed by the State Department.

The caucus also refused to publish a favourable report compiled by the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People observers who came for the polls.

Labels: DONALD PAYNE, HILLARY CLINTON, NAACP, SANCTIONS, ZDERA

posted by MrK @ 3:19 PM