BELGIUM/ZIMBABWE: ZIMBABWE SAYS IT WILL ACCEPT INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS FOR MARCH 9-10 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS BUT STRICTLY ON ITS OWN TERMS
Record ID:
649146
BELGIUM/ZIMBABWE: ZIMBABWE SAYS IT WILL ACCEPT INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS FOR MARCH 9-10 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS BUT STRICTLY ON ITS OWN TERMS
- Title: BELGIUM/ZIMBABWE: ZIMBABWE SAYS IT WILL ACCEPT INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS FOR MARCH 9-10 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS BUT STRICTLY ON ITS OWN TERMS
- Date: 11th January 2002
- Summary: (W8) BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (JANUARY 11, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE EXTERIOR OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL BUILDING AT NIGHT 0.04 2. WIDE INSIDE OF THE PRESS ROOM 0.11 3. SV: AFRICAN JOURNALISTS AT THE FINAL PRESSER 0.15 4. WIDE OF THE EU DELEGATION 0.18 5. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (English) REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE EU SPANISH AMBASSADOR JAVIER CONDE DE SARO SAYING: "We see some positive elements in the reports and briefings that we have had from the Zimbabwean authorities and therefore we would like to see how willing they are going to be in engaging the Union in this continuing dialogue and in actually being able to deliver in concrete actions those commitments that they are willing to undertake." 0.45 6. MV: JOURNALISTS AT THE NEWS CONFERENCE 0.50 7. SV: ARRIVAL AT THE CONFERENCE OF THE ZIMBABWEAN FOREIGN MINISTER STANLEY MUDENGE 1.01 8. VARIOUS OF ZIMBABWEAN OFFICIALS SEATED (2 SHOTS) 1.13 9. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZIMBABWEAN FOREIGN MINISTER STANLEY MUDENGE SAYING: "Zimbabwe -- as foreign minister I -- will be issuing invitations in the coming weeks for international observers. There will be no monitors to Zimbabwe. No one can monitor our elections except our electoral supervisory commission that the constitution has provided to monitor our elections. But I will be inviting observers in the coming weeks.. And that shall be done in the full exercise of the sovereign right of Zimbabwe to invite observers." 1.55 10. WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE 2.02 (U5)HARARE, ZIMBABWE (JANUARY 11, 2002) (REUTERS- ACCESS ALL) 11. SV: LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION MORGAN TSVANGIRAI WALKING INTO ROOM 2.14 12. CU: MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE PLAQUE ON WALL 2.19 13. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (English) OPPOSITION LEADER MORGAN TSVANGIRAI SAYING: "The government has imposed what I would call - some people would try to say it is repressive legislation. I would say it is nearer the declaration of state of emergency. They are emergency laws that are taking away the rights of Zimbabweans to express themselves - to have a free election and to go about their business without interference and harassment from the State. So the reaction from the people has been utter disgust at this obnoxious legislation. It's worse than Smith's legislation but people will prevail ultimately" 3.03 14. VARIOUS NEWSPAPER HEADLINES ON GOVERNMENT'S CONTROVERSIAL BILL (2 SHOTS) 3.14 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 26th January 2002 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM/ HARARE, ZIMBABWE
- City:
- Country: Belgium Zimbabwe
- Reuters ID: LVA2EJJ4MOJRBE9I7RDB5Z0KNM35
- Story Text: Zimbabwe has said it would accept international
observers for a March 9-10 presidential election, but strictly
on its own terms.
But in a statement issued to reporters after day-long
talks with Zimbabwean ministers, the EU said it was not
satisfied that Harare would follow up its words with concrete
actions.
Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has joined
the international community in condemning draconian laws aimed
at tightening President Robert Mugabe's iron grip on power
ahead of a crucial presidential election in March.
The European Union said on Friday (January 11) that
Zimbabwe had tentatively agreed to its demand that the African
country allow international observers and media to monitor its
March 9-10 presidential election.
But in a statement issued to reporters after day-long
talks with Zimbabwean ministers, the EU said it was not
satisfied that Harare would follow up its words with concrete
actions.
The Zimbabwean authorities expressed a willingness to go
some way towards meeting EU concerns with concrete actions
on... a timely invitation to and accreditation of a wide range
of international election observers, the statement said.
It said Zimbabwe had also gone some way towards agreeing
to allow media, both national and international, to cover the
election and towards considering a code of conduct for
political parties during the election campaign.
"We see some positive elements in the reports and
briefings that we've had from the Zimbabwean authorities",
Spanish ambassador Javier Conde de Saro, representing the EU,
told a news conference after the day-long talks.
"And therefore we would like to see how willing they are
going to be...in actually being able to deliver in concrete
actions those commitments", he added.
Zimbabwean Foreign Minister Stanely Mudenge said he would
be inviting foreign observers but not monitors to the
forthcoming elections.
He said: "Zimbabwe -- as foreign minister, I -- will be
issuing invitations in the coming weeks for international
observers. There will be no monitors to Zimbabwe. No one can
monitor our elections except our electoral supervisory
commission that the constitution has provided to monitor our
elections."
The 15-nation Union said Zimbabwe must send a letter to EU
president Spain within a week detailing its plans to implement
its commitments and EU diplomats in Harare would be instructed
to report on the progress made on the ground.
Zimbabwe's president, Robert Mugabe, 77, has sparked
Zimbabwe's biggest crisis since independence from Britain in
1980 with violent seizures of white-owned farms and attempts
to tighten control of the media and opposition.
The meeting was held one day after the Zimbabwean
parliament adopted laws aimed at tightening Mugabe's iron grip
on power ahead of the election.
Zimbabwe's parliament passed two laws on Thursday (January
10). One bans independent monitors at the poll and denies
voting rights to Zimbabweans abroad. The other criminalises
criticism of Mugabe and gives sweeping new security powers to
the government.
The latest government action has been greeted with
widespread condemnation.
Media organisations have vowed to defy the new bill,
fearing it will severely restrict press freedoms ahead of the
March elections.
Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party is expected to put the
proposed legislation to the vote in parliament, where it has a
voting majority, on Tuesday.
Speaking to Reuters on Friday (January 11) leader of the
opposition Movement for Democratic Change, Morgan Tsvangirai
said the legislation was tantamount to the creation of a state
of emergency which deprived Zimbabweans of the right to go
about their business without interference and harassment by
the state.
He described the bill as "obnoxious" and one which was
viewed with "utter disgust" by ordinary Zimbabweans.
Tsvangirai vowed to stand in the March elections.
Casting fresh doubt on chances of a fair and free
election, Zimbabwe's security chiefs signalled on Wednesday
they would not accept a poll victory by Tsvangirai.
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