Lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe likely, says John Key

Email
Print

Lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe likely

3News NZ

John Key with Zimbabwe prime minister Morgan Tsvangari

John Key with Zimbabwe prime minister Morgan Tsvangari

By Political Editor Duncan Garner

Zimbabwe Prime minister Morgan Tsvangari is in New Zealand pleading for tough economic sanctions to be lifted, ahead of what he is hoping will be free and fair elections next year.

He is the face of the power-sharing agreement with former dictator Robert Mugabe.

He's also a face you may remember - beaten and bruised - at the hands of Mugabe’s henchmen, but he says it is now time for Zimbabwe to move on.

“Yes it happened, but we must rebuild the country and move forward,” says Mr Tsvangari.

He is currently visiting New Zealand and says he is asking for help, in return for free and fair elections next year.

“Why am I here? We would like Zimbabwe to be part of the global community once more,” he says.

He wants NZ to suspend tough economic and travel sanctions - the IMF and World Bank will not engage with Zimbabwe, and he says it is hurting.

“No country can progress with such measures against it,” he says.

The EU says it will suspend its sanctions. Australia is considering it, and Prime Minister John Key says New Zealand will likely follow.

“If there are free and fair elections then why wouldn't the global community respond in kind?” says Mr Key.

Mr Key says he will now discuss the issue of suspending the sanctions with Foreign Minister Murray McCully.

Initially it will only be temporary suspension - the elections will have to be proven to be free and fair before they are lifted permanently.

3 News

Post a Comment

Before commenting, please take the time to read our moderation guide


(Won't be published)



Comments

26/07/2012 8:24:21 a.m.

Mike wrote:

Sanctions were imposed for a lack of democracy, so if they demonstrate to the world a level of democracy then the reason for the sanctions disappears.

It doesn't really matter that Mugabe is a terrible person responsible for thousands of atrocities, as the sanctions were never imposed for those reasons. Should they have been? Probably. But the UN is a bunch of people who dont care about the world and only their individual parts of it - bit like parliment where the opposition will deliberately do stuff to hurt the country as it may inadvertantly taint those in power. The UN uses the EU's close to 30 members to out vote the US one vote - democracy at work or oppression? The one country who has consistantly wanted more sanctions for likes of Mugabe has been the US and every time like Labour voting against National, the EU memebers tend to vote against sanctions proposed by the US as a matter of principal. Why, for people living in oppression, this EU principal has so much meaning!

That Mugabe has made some changes shows that the sanctions have made an impact. while it has hurt the Mugabe rule, it has also hurt the people of Zimbabwe. The UN could lok to take criminals to justice for crimes against humanity, but then the UN voted aginst such things for Mugabe as a political move as the US asked for more action. ie the UN protected Mugabe till he finally broke enough heads the UN had to take notice!

26/07/2012 12:50:12 a.m.

Nick wrote:

I saw this on a Zimbabwe site, it said With the formation of this transitional government, President Mugabe, Professor Mutambara and I have pledged, in the sight of God, to deliver the nation to a new political dispensation . . This is the debt we owe to our liberation heroes and our democratic movement heroes who paid the ultimate price so we could all live together free from fear, hunger, and poverty Is that a joke, Mugabe who is still President did nothing for his people but kill and threaten them and their families, now he is suppose to agree to all this above, Morgan Tsvangari is now Mugabe's puppet who has been sent out to fix everything, i would not be surprised if his family are been held hostage, a leopard (Mugabe)will never change his spots, not even if he uses the word God. Think of the people who died because of Mugabe and do not lift any sanctions until their country is sorted out.

26/07/2012 12:16:20 a.m.

Nick wrote:

Sanctions for Zimbabwe should never been lifted especially while Mugabe is still in power, also the only people hurting from the economic sanctions is Mugabe and his merry men, At the end though, money will talk, shame.

25/07/2012 7:23:55 p.m.

jem wrote:

former dictator? how naive

25/07/2012 7:16:43 p.m.

bukster wrote:

If you ignore the obvious problems, Zimbabwe has a lot going for it, mineral wealth, fertile land. Under better government, this country could be a real performer in the world. The troubles it suffers from now won't always be there. Mugabe is 88 after all.