News / National
Western diplomats approach Zanu-PF to be allowed to observe Zimbabwe elections
11 Jun 2013 at 03:16hrs | Views
DIPLOMATS from the European Union yesterday approached Zanu-PF to be allowed to observe the harmonised elections due by July 31, saying they will declare the polls free and fair and lift the sanctions regime they imposed in 2002.
The diplomats from Germany and Spain said this in separate meetings they held with Zanu-PF national chairman Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo at his offices in Harare.
This comes hard on the heels of a similar plea from US State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki who last week urged the Government to allow international observers to monitor the harmonised elections, saying that would enhance their credibility.
"The United States sincerely hopes Zimbabwe will hold peaceful, credible presidential and parliamentary elections this year.
"We believe the credibility of these elections would be enhanced if a broad range of international monitors led by Sadc were accredited to observe," Ms Psaki said, adding "this would help to verify that the elections are truly representative of the will of the Zimbabwean people."
Germany's Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa Mr Egon Kochanke echoed the US' statement.
"I think if your country is able to have free, fair, transparent and credible elections and for this I think it's also important to have some sort of international observation," he said.
"I know that Sadc is very much involved, the African Union is involved, if the EU can be involved so that this will give these elections more credibility and I think we can start then a new page of our co-operation.
"I think we would like to work and engage with any Government coming out of this kind of free, fair and credible elections so that we can tap into this enormous potential."
Mr Kochanke said the EU would only remove the sanctions if it was satisfied that the polls were credible.
Spain's deputy ambassador to Zimbabwe, Ms Ximena Sartori, said: "It's now time to look forward. Spain looks forward to peaceful elections. We agree Sadc is playing a key role though we are in a position to work with you."
Ms Sartori lobbied Zimbabwe to support Spain when it bids for a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council in 2016 and to host the 2020 Olympics.
Khaya told the two diplomats that countries that imposed illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe would not be invited for the elections, even if they dangled the carrot of sanctions removal.
He dismissed claims by Ambassador Kochanke that polls would only be deemed credible if they were observed by the EU under the disguise of the international community.
Khaya Moyo said Zimbabwe was going to comply with the Constitutional Court ruling that harmonised elections be held by July 31.
The diplomats from Germany and Spain said this in separate meetings they held with Zanu-PF national chairman Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo at his offices in Harare.
This comes hard on the heels of a similar plea from US State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki who last week urged the Government to allow international observers to monitor the harmonised elections, saying that would enhance their credibility.
"The United States sincerely hopes Zimbabwe will hold peaceful, credible presidential and parliamentary elections this year.
"We believe the credibility of these elections would be enhanced if a broad range of international monitors led by Sadc were accredited to observe," Ms Psaki said, adding "this would help to verify that the elections are truly representative of the will of the Zimbabwean people."
Germany's Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa Mr Egon Kochanke echoed the US' statement.
"I think if your country is able to have free, fair, transparent and credible elections and for this I think it's also important to have some sort of international observation," he said.
"I think we would like to work and engage with any Government coming out of this kind of free, fair and credible elections so that we can tap into this enormous potential."
Mr Kochanke said the EU would only remove the sanctions if it was satisfied that the polls were credible.
Spain's deputy ambassador to Zimbabwe, Ms Ximena Sartori, said: "It's now time to look forward. Spain looks forward to peaceful elections. We agree Sadc is playing a key role though we are in a position to work with you."
Ms Sartori lobbied Zimbabwe to support Spain when it bids for a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council in 2016 and to host the 2020 Olympics.
Khaya told the two diplomats that countries that imposed illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe would not be invited for the elections, even if they dangled the carrot of sanctions removal.
He dismissed claims by Ambassador Kochanke that polls would only be deemed credible if they were observed by the EU under the disguise of the international community.
Khaya Moyo said Zimbabwe was going to comply with the Constitutional Court ruling that harmonised elections be held by July 31.
Source - herald
