EU meets to review Zimbabwe sanctions

The European Union (EU) meets on Monday in Brussels to review sanctions imposed on President Robert Mugabe and some senior Zanu-PF officials amid optimism by Zimbabwe's three government parties that the decade-old embargo will be relaxed.

EU Foreign Affairs ministers will make their decision public this afternoon following indications that the bloc was ready to resume development aid to the southern African country. But a travel ban and an asset freeze on Mugabe and his close allies are likely to remain in place, according to diplomats.

Last week, former British Cabinet minister Peter Hain told the House of Commons that lifting the embargo would be a mistake as he had evidence that Zanu-PF was using resources from the Marange diamond mines to prepare for a violent election campaign.

British ministers last week said their government was working with other EU members to relax the restrictive measures but maintained it would be premature to remove the travel ban on Mugabe.

MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora said they expected the sanctions to be lifted but urged Zanu-PF to reciprocate the move by denouncing violence.

The Welsham Ncube-led MDC said removing the sanctions would boost the country's economic recovery prospects

"As partners in the inclusive government, we hope we are engaging each other in good faith," Kurauone Chihwayi, MDC spokesperson, said.

Mugabe is known for alleging that the MDC is the one which called for sanctions and is also the one which can talk to its 'masters' for sanctions removal.

Currently Tsvangirai is in Australia where the Australian government said it will consider further easing sanctions against Zimbabwe following discussions with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in Canberra.