Maravi

(HERALD) Germany to call for end to sanctions

Germany to call for end to sanctions
Friday, 18 March 2011 23:43
Herald Correspondent

Germany's director-general of African Affairs, Ambassador Walter Lindner, has said his country will push for an end to the illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe once there is a roadmap to free and fair elections.

He said this during a meeting with Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi on Monday in Berlin. Minister Mzembi was in Germany for the ITB Berlin, Europe's leading Tourism and Travel Expo.

Ambassador Lindner had just returned from a visit to Zimbabwe.

The two discussed a number of issues including Ambassador Lindner's impressions of Zimbabwe.

He said he had found the situation rather polarised but noted that this was unavoidable as the country, currently under a coalition Government, was getting into an election mood.

On sanctions, Ambassador Lindner said his government's desire to have the European Union sanctions on Zimbabwe lifted.

However, he said Germany would push once there was a clear roadmap to free and fair elections.

In response Minister Mzembi expressed gratitude for Germany's increasingly constructive stance of the issue of sanctions.

Recently, Germany's Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Dr Albrecht Conze, said the EU was divided on the legality of the widely-discredited sanctions.

Minister Mzembi strongly urged Germany to dissociate itself from the sanctions without setting any preconditions as this was the only beneficial route for ordinary Zimbabweans.

Labels: EU, GERMANY, SANCTIONS, ZDERA

posted by MrK @ 7:23 PM