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Zimbabwe: African Union, UN to Monitor Talks
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18 July 2008
Posted to the web 18 July 2008
Cape Town
South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki, under fire for the handling of the Zimbabwean crisis, has won African Union and United Nations backing for his plans to facilitate a solution - but will liaise with a tri-partite "reference group" over his efforts.
Mbeki's office announced Friday that after meetings with top AU, UN and Southern African Development Community representatives, "all parties agreed with the framework" which he had proposed. They had also endorsed his role as SADC's mediator and "pledged to support his efforts."
However, the statement added that the AU, UN and SADC would - at Mbeki's suggestion - form a reference group with which he "will liaise on an ongoing basis."
Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which secured the highest number of votes of any party in elections in March, has repeatedly challenged Mbeki's impartiality in efforts to end the crisis precipitated by the government's failure to organise a free and fair presidential run-off vote in June.
The agreement announced Friday appears to strike a compromise which confirms Mbeki's leading role in regional diplomatic efforts but which would subject his mediation to wider scrutiny. The MDC and its supporters have been calling for the appointment of an AU mediator.
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Mbeki held talks on Friday with the chair of the African Union Commission, Jean Ping, the UN Secretary-General's special representative on Zimbabwe, Haile Menkerios, and a representative of the SADC "Organ on Defence Politics and Security," George Chikoti.
Pessimism! That's what I feel about the half-cooked idea of "reference group" to be formed by representatives of the AU, SADC and UN with which Mbeki will liaise.
What was called for generally was the appointment of a second mediator from the AU who could stand shoulder to shoulder to Mbeki and who would be party to all negociations. Such a person should not have been on the payroll of the AU; otherwise, indirectly, Mbeki would have been his employer! South Africa being a paying member.
Maverick Mugabe will now surely hold on to power for a longer time and... [Read Full Text]
Prem, you are very negative toward anything African. I guess you prefer the "colonial/aparthied" to be at the negotiation table. You forget at times that with negotiations, the parties involved need to agree with who is going to be the mediator.
Lets be frank, the British are now totally unwelcome to any negoitiations on African issues. The Britons have not been invited to any trade or real discussions on peace in Africa. And everybody, except you Prem knows that the UK is part of the problem in Zimbabwe. Britons want to pick up the loud speaker to show the world... [Read Full Text]
What the peopling of Africa need to understand from Zimbabweans who know ZANU PF well, is that a Government of National UNity (GNU) will never work with ZANU PF. ZANU PF will only go into a GNU to hoodwink the world that the Zimbabwe crisis has been resolved. The problem is the Opposition government members will just be parcels in that government, who have no influence on anything at all. Mugabe has previously invited technocrats into his government, to window dress his government as a serious government. What we all know is one of the technocrats resigned... [Read Full Text]
you better stay there that what cowerds do.Dont ever dream of comimng back. The really is nothing you can help this country with. Empty vessels......
I think you will find they will come back armed and trained and the cowards like mugabe and regime will try and run. Remember,those oppressed and hurt will remember the face and name of those that did it, even if they run to exile they will be hunted down and the world will help them. Mugabe,regime and helpers will not last long when it changes and it is going to change.You think the West is bad, just wait till you are hunted down by mums and dads that are the good people of Zimbabwe.The time is coming and it is... [Read Full Text]
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