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Insulting Mugabe 'will not help' | Insulting Mugabe 'will not help' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Tanzania's leader Jakaya Kikwete says that condemning Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is counterproductive. | Tanzania's leader Jakaya Kikwete says that condemning Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is counterproductive. |
He said calling Mr Mugabe a murderer and a violator of human rights would not resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe. | He said calling Mr Mugabe a murderer and a violator of human rights would not resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe. |
His comments come ahead of a December summit of European and African leaders which the UK's Gordon Brown says he will not attend if Mr Mugabe goes. | His comments come ahead of a December summit of European and African leaders which the UK's Gordon Brown says he will not attend if Mr Mugabe goes. |
The German leader is in South Africa where she is expected to bring up Zimbabwe with President Thabo Mbeki. | The German leader is in South Africa where she is expected to bring up Zimbabwe with President Thabo Mbeki. |
If Tanzania said, 'You are hopeless! A murderer! A violator of basic human rights!' does that remove Mugabe from office? It doesn't President Jakaya Kikwete | If Tanzania said, 'You are hopeless! A murderer! A violator of basic human rights!' does that remove Mugabe from office? It doesn't President Jakaya Kikwete |
Angela Merkel described the situation in Zimbabwe as disastrous - but said that its president, Robert Mugabe, should be allowed to attend a Europe-Africa summit aimed at tackling the continent's problems. | |
The German Chancellor had already signalled that she would attend the summit in Lisbon in December come what may. | |
Speaking in Ethiopia on the first leg of her first-ever sub-Saharan African tour, Ms Merkel said countries of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) regional bloc should all work together to pressure President Mugabe. | Speaking in Ethiopia on the first leg of her first-ever sub-Saharan African tour, Ms Merkel said countries of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) regional bloc should all work together to pressure President Mugabe. |
"We are deeply concerned about the ongoing human rights violations," she said referring to the crisis in Zimbabwe. | "We are deeply concerned about the ongoing human rights violations," she said referring to the crisis in Zimbabwe. |
Zimbabwe has the world's highest inflation rate, and four out of five people there live below the poverty line. | Zimbabwe has the world's highest inflation rate, and four out of five people there live below the poverty line. |
'Price freeze backfires' | 'Price freeze backfires' |
"Mugabe is there. He is president; he has been elected," Tanzania's President Kikwete said in an interview with the London-based Financial Times (FT) newspaper. | "Mugabe is there. He is president; he has been elected," Tanzania's President Kikwete said in an interview with the London-based Financial Times (FT) newspaper. |
Mr Kikwete says African diplomacy should resolve the Zimbabwe crisis | Mr Kikwete says African diplomacy should resolve the Zimbabwe crisis |
"If Tanzania said, 'You are hopeless! A murderer! A violator of basic human rights!' does that remove Mugabe from office? It doesn't." | "If Tanzania said, 'You are hopeless! A murderer! A violator of basic human rights!' does that remove Mugabe from office? It doesn't." |
He said international powers should instead put their weight behind regional diplomatic efforts which "will pay dividends over time". | He said international powers should instead put their weight behind regional diplomatic efforts which "will pay dividends over time". |
The Tanzanian viewpoint is that by working with the Zimbabwean leader they hope to get the next year's elections conducted freely and fairly. | The Tanzanian viewpoint is that by working with the Zimbabwean leader they hope to get the next year's elections conducted freely and fairly. |
According to the FT, Sadc finance ministers have been reviewing how to shore up Zimbabwe's collapsing economy - the official inflation rate is currently 6,500%. | According to the FT, Sadc finance ministers have been reviewing how to shore up Zimbabwe's collapsing economy - the official inflation rate is currently 6,500%. |
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe's police have revealed that more than 23,000 people have been arrested for flouting price controls imposed by the government three months ago. | Meanwhile, Zimbabwe's police have revealed that more than 23,000 people have been arrested for flouting price controls imposed by the government three months ago. |
"As Operation Reduce Prices continues, we have so far as police arrested 23,585 people," the South African Press Association quotes police spokesperson Oliver Mandipaka as telling state radio. | |
The crackdown has backfired and there are now chronic shortages of basic foodstuffs on the formal market, Sapa reports. | The crackdown has backfired and there are now chronic shortages of basic foodstuffs on the formal market, Sapa reports. |