SOUTH AFRICA: Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai meets with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg in Johannesburg

Record ID: 454412

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai meets with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg in Johannesburg
  • Date: 19th April 2008
  • Summary: (EU) JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, (18/04/08), (REUTERS) NORWEGIAN PRIME MINISTER JENS STOLTENBERG AND HIS DELEGATION WAITING AT THE APARTHEID MUSEUM MDC PRESIDENT MORGAN TSVANGIRAI ARRIVING AT THE APARTHEID MUSEUM MEDIA TSVANGIRAI MEETING STOLTENBERG MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) MDC PRESIDENT MORGAN TSVANGIRAI SAYING : "The question of treasonous behaviour, I think I can just dismiss it with the contempt it deserves. The people of Zimbabwe are the ones that remove the government and put a government. What has happened is that the people of Zimbabwe have voted in a government of their choice, which is the MDC. It is Mugabe who is refusing that will of the people that is actually treasonous because voting and actually undermines the people's will is actually treasonous, it is unconstitutional. On the question of the ship, the so-called ship with armaments, I can only foresee a danger for the people, given the extraordinary situation we are facing back home, in terms of violence against the people. Never in the history of the people have the government rolled out a military plan to fight against the people because the people have voted against the government. So, I can only say that that action of support with military equipment should be condemned." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) MDC PRESIDENT MORGAN TSVANGIRAI SAYING : "Well, there is no need for a recount because a recount is actually unlawful. It is unlawful because by law that recount should have been undertaken at the polling station 48 hours after the count was done. So, it is actually unlawful to talk of a recount. As for the runoff, such a situation is not necessary because not only is ZEC's (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) announcement going to be discredited but because we have won the elections. We have won it decisively to the extent that we do not need a runoff." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) NORWEGIAN PRIME MINISTER JENS STOLTENBERG SAYING : "We will support an international campaign for democracy, for the respect of the will of the people of Zimbabwe and that will be in the long tradition of Nordic countries fighting and supporting the fight for freedom and democracy in Southern Africa and in Zimbabwe. Second, we will use our long term historical relationship with this region as a political platform to put as much pressure as possible on Robert Mugabe and the government of Zimbabwe to respect the election results and to release the results as soon as possible or immediately." MEDIA ANC PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA AND NORWEGIAN PRIME MINISTER JENS STOLTENBERG SEATED MEDIA
  • Embargoed: 4th May 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: International Relations,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA2D5YOVP2CLW1WUB33UZFDKQ1C
  • Story Text: Zimbabwe's opposition MDC's President Morgan Tsvangirai on Friday (April 18) met with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg in Johannesburg, and dismissed with contempt that he is to be charged with treason on his return home.

    "The question of treasonous behaviour, I think I can just dismiss it with the contempt it deserves. The people of Zimbabwe are the ones that remove the government and put a government. What has happened is that the people of Zimbabwe have voted in a government of their choice, which is the MDC. It is Mugabe who is refusing that will of the people that is actually treasonous because voting and actually undermines the people's will is actually treasonous, it is unconstitutional." Tsvangirai told the media.
    Meanwhile, A South African union has refused to unload arms from a Chinese ship destined for Zimbabwe, in a politically charged move challenging President Thabo Mbeki's handling of relations with the neighbouring state.
    Unions in South Africa have been highly critical of Mbeki for not taking a tougher line against Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, who is locked in an election stalemate with the opposition over the delay of results from a March 29 election that has raised fears of violence.

    "On the question of the ship, the so-called ship with armaments, I can only foresee a danger for the people given the extraordinary situation we are facing back home, in terms of violence against the people. Never in the history of the people have the government rolled out a military plan to fight against the people because the people have voted against the government. So, I can only say that that action of support with military equipment should be condemned," Tsvangirai said.
    South Africa's ruling ANC's President Jacob Zuma told journalists after meeting the Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg that there was a crisis in Zimbabwe.

    "South Africa we have got (Zimbabwean) refugees that are estimated at about 3 million, plus minus, that tells you there is a crisis in Zimbabwe.
    I think the elections, the manner in which I think, the electoral commission has conducted itself i in terms of releasing the results, I think that causes a crisis. The reports are that now there is violence on the ground in Zimbabwe as a result of the delayed announcement of the results when people have exercised their democratic right. It is a crisis," Zuma said.
    Mbeki had been quoted as saying there was no crisis in Zimbabwe after he met Robert Mugabe in Harare last weekend. But Zuma said there was no need for him to take over the mediation process from South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki as called for by the MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai.
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