EU Clamps More Sanctions Against Zimbabwe

Ahead of talks between President Robert Mugabe and the Zimbabwe opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai, now postponed till Thursday afternoon, the European Union Tuesday night stepped up sanctions against Zimbabwe.
Officials said the move was in line with the EU’s effort to increase pressure on Robert Mugabe despite his Monday signing of a pact to enter into power-sharing talks with the opposition MDC.

The new embargo identified a further 37 supporters of the regime whose assets will be frozen and who will be subjected to a visa ban, preventing them from entering EU territory.

For the first time, the sanctions will also affect four Zimbabwean companies and aim to close loopholes that have enabled Mr Mugabe to come to Europe almost at will despite being the first name on the travel ban.

Announcing the measures, in protest against June’s widely condemned presidential election run-off, Bernard Kouchner, the French Foreign minister, said: “It is impossible to accept the results of the second elections when basic democratic rules were being violated. Sanctions have an effect. They are not just for fun.”

The decision to add new names to the 130 already on the sanctions list was taken despite the signing by Mugabe and the MDC leader, a framework for talks.

David Miliband, the British Foreign Secretary, said: “The sanctions that we and others are proposing are designed to reinforce the drive for the transitional government to reflect the democratic will of the Zimbabwean people.”

The EU’s decision, which was implemented immediately, has also extended the sanctions to four Harare-based companies.

The individuals added to the visa ban hail largely from the business sector and the military. They include Gideon Gono, governor of the central bank, Joyce Kazembe, the vice-president of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, and Peter Chingoka, the head of the country’s cricket federation, who is accused of supporting the terror campaign during the elections.

For the first time, two journalists have also been included: Munyaradzi Huni and Caesar Zvayi, both of whom work for the state-run Herald newspaper.

President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai had earlier agreed on Monday to formal talks about sharing power to end their country’s crisis.

The diplomats say the negotiations, which will be held in the South African capital Pretoria, will kick off with only mediators and none of the principals.

Parties to the Zimbabwean agreement have given themselves two weeks to complete negotiations.

And they signed a clause promising not to communicate about them with the media.

The talks will be chaired by South African president Thabo Mbeki.

The establishment of a government of national unity will be the main issue in the talks, although both sides differ on who should lead it and how long it should stay in power.

The African Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), both concerned by a crisis that has flooded neighboring states with millions of refugees, have pushed for a power-sharing deal.

Source African Press Agency

Net News Publisher