U.S. pushes for UN sanctions on Zimbabwe

By Neil MacFarquhar Published: July 4, 2008

E-Mail Article

Listen to Article

Printer-Friendly

3-Column Format

Translate

Share Article

Text Size

UNITED NATIONS, New York: Seeking to force President Robert Mugabe into negotiations with the opposition, the United States formally proposed United Nations Security Council sanctions on Zimbabwe, including an international arms embargo and punitive measures against the 14 people it deemed most responsible for undermining the presidential election through violence.

Besides Mugabe, those singled out Thursday in the draft resolution to be subject to an international travel ban and a freeze on personal assets include the chiefs of the various branches of the Zimbabwean armed forces, the governor of the central bank, the head of the Justice Department and the presidential spokesman.

“We want to respond to the situation and respond in a way that encourages a move toward resolving the legitimacy crisis without negatively impacting the people of Zimbabwe who are suffering a great deal at the hands of the regime,” said Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

The United States expects to bring the resolution to a vote as early as this coming week, he said. The mood around the council chamber was noncommittal, with even previously outspoken opponents to further UN interference, particularly South Africa, saying they would have to consult with their governments.

Although passage is not assured, the United States has apparently mustered enough support to garner nine of the 15 votes needed to approve the resolution. China and Russia, which have generally supported the position that this is an African problem that ought to be dealt with locally, could still veto it. Russia is considered unlikely to do so, diplomats noted, and China might feel pressured to avoid vetoing sanctions because of criticism of its own human rights record in the prelude to the Olympics.

Related Articles

Bush asks for help, abroad and at home, in sending aid to Africa

Today in Africa & Middle East

U.S. pushes for UN sanctions on Zimbabwe

Jean-Peirre Bemba, Congolese politician, appears in Hague court

Iran responds to nuclear incentives package

Mugabe was elected to his sixth term more than a week ago after his opponent, Morgan Tsvangirai, dropped out of a runoff election because state-sponsored enforcers were beating and killing his followers. Tsvangirai won 48 percent of the vote to 43 percent for Mugabe in the election March 29.

In Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel said the European Union would seek “all possible sanctions” against Zimbabwe and Mugabe. “We will take up the issue again within the EU, under the leadership of the French presidency,” Merkel said in an interview with The Associated Press. “We will think up all possible sanctions and check to see what more we can do, such as travel bans” for members of Mugabe’s regime.

The EU, which is calling for new elections, said Friday that it was ready to consider “appropriate measures” against those responsible for violence in Zimbabwe, but did not elaborate, The Associated Press reported.

Criticism also came Friday from two African nations, Nigeria and Botswana.

“We express our strong displeasure at the process leading to the election and its outcome,” the foreign minister, Ojo Maduekwe, of Nigeria said, according to Reuters.

His counterpart from Botswana, Phandu Skelemani, said his nation did not recognize the election and encouraged other southern African nations to do the same, Reuters reported.

Article taken from: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/04/africa/zim.php