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(TALKZIMBABWE) Lift sanctions against Zimbabwe, Zuma urges EU

Lift sanctions against Zimbabwe, Zuma urges EU
By: AFP-TZG reporters
Posted: Wednesday, September 29, 2010 9:27 pm

SOUTH African President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday told European parliamentarians that lifting sanctions against Zimbabwe would help the country work through its political problems.

On his first trip to the EU parliament, President Zuma told that bloc's foreign affairs committee that such a move would help efforts to turn around the situation in Zimbabwe.

"On Zimbabwe, we gave leadership before anybody else did and the current power-sharing deal was facilitated by South Africa," President Zuma said to the MEPs.

Lifting sanctions "would give a chance to the efforts we are making there and empower the Southern African Development Community to do more on Zimbabwe," he added.

On Tuesday, European Union president Herman Van Rompuy said the bloc was ready to take a fresh look at the sanctions against Zimbabwe.

Van Rompuy noted Zimbabwean moves to create a new Constitution as part of a road map to elections, a process launched by the inclusive Government formed by President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai last February.

"In case of positive developments in Zimbabwe we'd be ready to look at fresh measures," said Van Rompuy.

The EU last year slapped a 12-month extension on illegal sanctions against Harare.

Labels: EU, JACOB ZUMA, SANCTIONS, ZDERA

posted by MrK @ 9:07 AM