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FRANCE has invited President
Mugabe to attend a summit of African heads of State in Paris, despite opposition
from Britain, marking the first break of the British-led EU sanctions against
Zimbabwe.
French President Mr Jacques Chirac extended the invitation to Cde Mugabe out of the "firm conviction" that his presence at the February 20-21 meeting would help promote democracy, justice and human rights in Zimbabwe, French Foreign Ministry spokesman Francois Rivasseau told a media briefing in Paris. "We understand the emotion and indignation of the British population" over the visit, he added, but stressed that it did not violate European Union sanctions imposed on Cde Mugabe and his Cabinet last year. Those restrictions, which included a travel ban to the EU, expire on February 18, just before the summit is to begin and in any case, provided waivers for international meetings such as this, Rivasseau said. A move to renew the ban is to be discussed at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday. Renewal will require a unanimous vote by all 15 EU member-states. France�s plans to invite Cde Mugabe were reported earlier yesterday by Britain�s Independent newspaper. Senior Secretary for Foreign Affairs Mr Willard Chiwewe confirmed that the invitation had been received. "We had a signed letter from President Chirac and we are attending the summit. "It�s a French-convened summit for African leaders and President Robert Mugabe is an African leader, as you must know," Mr Chiwewe was quoted as saying by AFP. Asked how they squared the invitation with the EU sanctions against Zimbabwe � which include a ban on travel to EU states � Mr Chiwewe said: "That is not our problem. All we know is we were invited and we accepted. This is a summit for Africans and we are Africans," he added. The French government has even gone further and extended a three million euros grant to help with the food aid programme. The donation is part of a 13,1 million euros package earmarked for countries in southern Africa that are threatened by famine, the French embassy said in a statement. The aid would be channelled through the World Food Programme. A British newspaper, The Independent, said the invitation was likely to bring new expressions of anger from British politicians and newspapers, which have led an international campaign to demonise President Mugabe. The invitation comes in the wake of continuing British failure to sustain its campaign against Zimbabwe with the English and Wales Cricket Board rejecting Britain�s call for the English cricket team to boycott its World Cup matches in Harare and Bulawayo. The British suffered a similar defeat in Brussels, Belgium when members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries refused to endorse Britain�s demand to have Zimbabwe excluded from an ACP/EU joint meeting. Relations between Britain and Zimbabwe worsened in 2000 after the Government embarked on the land reform programme to correct past racial imbalances in land ownership. London refused to honour its colonial obligations and release funds for land reforms but the Government went ahead and said it would only pay compensation for improvements on the farms, not for the land itself because it was never paid for during colonisation. This irked the British government of Prime Minister Tony Blair, which has taken every opportunity to demonise Cde Mugabe and his Government. But President Mugabe has said on numerous occasions the EU and the United States, which have imposed so-called travel sanctions against him and his Cabinet, have sided with Britain in a bilateral issue between London and Harare. � AFP-Reuters-Herald Repor-ter. The Mulindwas
communication group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy" |
