Maravi

(NEWZIMBABWE) SADC team lobbies US, EU over sanctions

SADC team lobbies US, EU over sanctions
by Staff Reporter
04/05/2011 00:00:00

THE Bulawayo High Court has relaxed National Healing Minister Moses Mzila-Ndlovu’s bail conditions by allowing him to repossess his passport ahead of Thursday’s talks in Pretoria between Zimbabwe’s three ruling parties and advisers of President Jacob Zuma.

Mzila Ndlovu, 58, is out on bail after being charged with “communicating false statements prejudicial to the State” at a Gukurahundi memorial on April 13.

His lawyer Matshobane Ncube confirmed Mzila, a negotiator from the MDC party led by Industry Minister Welshman Ncube, would be attending the two-day talks along with negotiators from President Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC-T party.

The three parties say they have drawn up an election “roadmap” which lists benchmarks to be met before elections are held, but differences remain.

Zuma, the region’s point man on Zimbabwe, is anxious to see the differences ironed out ahead of a Southern African Development Community summit set for Namibia on May 20.

Zuma’s international relations adviser Lindiwe Zulu told the Voice of America last night: "We need to have a discussion with them around a review of the unity government agreement and the roadmap that they finished drawing a few weeks ago.”

Reports say a SADC team was in Washington last week to discuss the Zimbabwe situation and lobby for the lifting of sanctions on Zimbabwe. The team moved on to Brussels on Tuesday for discussions with the European Union which also maintains sanctions.

Zanu PF has made the lifting of Western sanctions and a cessation of external anti-Mugabe radio broadcasts as a pre-condition for fulfilling its side of the bargain in the election roadmap.

Labels: SADC, SANCTIONS, ZDERA

posted by MrK @ 1:14 PM