EU Pushes Unity Government in Zimbabwe
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The European Union said on Wednesday that Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai should serve as prime minister in any national unity government with President Robert Mugabe. From London, Tendai Maphosa has more in this report for VOA.
EU spokesman John Clancy told reporters on Wednesday that the EU backs African Union efforts to push for the creation of a government of national unity between the two men.
Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai addresses the media in Harare, 02 Jul 2008 "Morgan Tsvangirai must be part of any transitional government and if we reflect the first round of the election where he won a majority of the vote with 47 percent then it's clear that he should be a leading member of that government as it's potential prime minister or the head of government to ensure that certain reforms can take place," Clancy said to VOA.
The statement follows a similar call on Tuesday by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, whose country has just taken over the EU's rotating presidency.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown also echoed the EU position. Addressing parliament Wednesday, he said the only credible election was the March 29 poll won by Tsvangirai's MDC party. He described Friday's poll in which President Robert Mugabe was the only candidate as a travesty.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, 23 Jun 2008 "I am pleased that yesterday the African Union called for an end to violence, set up a system of mediation and we are talking about a transitional government in Zimbabwe," said Brown. "Morgan Tsvangirai must be part of any transitional government and if we reflect the first round of the election where he won a majority of the vote with 47 percent then it's clear that he should be a leading member of that government as it's potential prime minister or the head of government to ensure that certain reforms can take place," Clancy said to VOA.The statement follows a similar call on Tuesday by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, whose country has just taken over the EU's rotating presidency.British Prime Minister Gordon Brown also echoed the EU position. Addressing parliament Wednesday, he said the only credible election was the March 29 poll won by Tsvangirai's MDC party. He described Friday's poll in which President Robert Mugabe was the only candidate as a travesty."I am pleased that yesterday the African Union called for an end to violence, set up a system of mediation and we are talking about a transitional government in Zimbabwe," said Brown. "Having talked to the U.N. secretary general this morning, I think it's right that the U.N. send an envoy to Zimbabwe, in the absence of real change we will step up our sanctions and ask other countries to do so and we'll ask other countries to do so, we will press for tough action on Zimbabwe at the Security Council later today, we will do so at the G8 in coming days, there will not be support for reconstruction in Zimbabwe until democracy is restored," he added.
South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki has been the mediator between Mr. Mugabe's ZANU-PF and Mr. Tsvangirai's MDC party. He said at the end of the two-day African Union summit, that it's up to Zimbabweans to solve their political future.
Mr. Tsvangirai has rejected an African Union decision to keep South Africa's president in charge of efforts to resolve Zimbabwe's political crisis. He said that his group would not participate in talks about forming a governing accord with President Robert Mugabe's government unless an additional mediator was appointed.
Mr. Tsvangirai won the most votes in the first round in March, but not enough to avoid a runoff. He withdrew from the race just days before the second round, citing widespread violence against opposition supporters. Mr. Mugabe claimed victory on Sunday after Friday's vote.
Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa and mediator in the Zimbabwean conflict. 

Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Zimbabwean opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), says he will not participate in power sharing negotiations with President Robert Mugabe, who was widely accused of using violence and intimidation to win Sunday's run-off election.

The opposition leader, Mugabe's only rival in the election before dropping out due to fears of violence, cited South African President Thabo Mbeki's role as mediator in the conflict, as appointed by the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Tsvangirai has often criticized Mbeki for failing to publicly condemn Robert Mugabe, and has repeatedly called for him to step down.

Tsvangirai says that "no meaningful progress can be made toward resolving the Zimbabwe crisis" if the SADC or the African Union does not appoint at least one other mediator. "If this does not happen," he says, "then the MDC will not be part of the mediation process." 

He added, "If dialogue is to be initiated, it is essential that ZANU-PF stops the violence, halts the persecution of MDC leaders and supporters." The MDC says that 9 of its supporters have been killed by the state since the run-off, bringing the death toll up to at least 95.

Earlier on Tuesday, leaders at an African Union summit voiced their support for dialogue aimed at the creation of a unity government in Zimbabwe. "We encourage President Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to honour their commitment to initiate dialogue with a view to promote peace, stability, democracy and reconciliation in Zimbabwe," the AU said in a statement.

While the opposition rejected the idea of discussion, the Zimbabwe government called it a "welcome resolution", as stated by Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu. "Government is ready for dialogue with anyone," he said, "so long as it isn't dialogue concocted by the West." In his inauguration speech, Mugabe had said he was open to negotiations.

Tsvangirai believes that if a unified government were to be created, it should be based on the results of the original March 29 election, in which he received more votes but not enough to avoid a run-off. "We remain committed to negotiations or talks, call them what you will, but they should be based on the fact that we won the last credible election on March 29," Tsvangirai said. "Then we can move towards some transitional arrangement."

The European Union agrees with Tsvangirai on this point. Taking into account the March 29 vote, EU spokesman John Clancy says, "it's clear that Tsvangirai should be a leading member of that government as its potential prime minister or the head of government to ensure that certain reforms can take place." The EU had been placing pressure on the African Union to take strong measures against Mugabe's government.