Lift sanctions against Zim, Zuma tells Britain

TalkZimbabwe 03/03/10 Sithembile Ncube in London, UK

SOUTH AFRICAN President Jacob Zuma has urged the lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe in order to ensure the swift and timely resolution of the problems bedevelling Zimbabwe's one year old inclusive Government.

Speaking to reporters in London at the start of a state visit to Britain, President Zuma said, "If they (the West) could lift sanctions, that would give Zimbabwe an opportunity to move forward."

He disagreed with the western view that more pressure in the form of sanctions was the way forward.

He said the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), a regional body that acts as the guarantor for Zimbabwe's power-sharing agreement, had called for the immediate lifting of the illegal and ruinous embargo.

President Zuma added that "it would be difficult for Zimbabwe to deal with outstanding obstacles to a political resolution while sanctions were still in place.

"Our view is that the unity government should be supported so that it can get out of the difficulties that face Zimbabwe ... We plead with the countries that have applied sanctions to lift [them]. That would give Zimbabwe the opportunity to move forward."

The SA president also said Zimbabwe could not be expected to sort out its problems while its power-sharing government was subject to two different sets of rules.

"It's going to be difficult [for the government] to get on with other matters if there are sanctions, because sanctions are one-sided.

"We have a government that's not treated equally by sanctions. Those who cannot travel freely feel that they are constrained."

Mr Zuma said in a Financial Times interview last week that South Africa had been "one of the major players that actually pulled Zimbabwe back from getting into a disaster", while Europe and the US had ignored the new reality in maintaining sanctions.

Mr Zuma, who is accompanied by his wife, will meet the Queen of England and the Duke of Edinburgh tomorrow and sometime this week he will meet with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

He promised to reiterate the issue of illegal sanctions against Zimbabwe during these meetings.

TSVANGIRAI CALLS FOR LIFTING OF SANCTIONS

President Zuma's call comes hot on the heels of a call to lift the discredited embargo by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai who has been under increasing pressure from President Mugabe's Zanu-PF party.

Zanu-PF organs, the Congress, The Central Committee and the Politburo all resolved not to negotiate with PM Tsvangirai's MDC-T party until they lobby their friends in the west to lift all forms of sanctions against Zimbabwe.

On Monday this week, Mr Tsvangirai has, for the first time, called for the immediate lifting of the illegal and ruinous sanctions against Zimbabwe, almost a decade after his own MDC-T party took part in their formulation.