Mugabe threatens to boycott EU-Africa summit over Grace's invite

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe could boycott the fourth EU-Africa summit slated for next month if no invitation is extended to his wife, his spokesman warned.

The European Union has extended invites to the President and his delegation for the April 2-3 summit to be held in Brussels, Belgium, but snubbed First Lady Grace Mugabe.

The EU appeared to dig in last night, with its Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Aldo Dell'Ariccia, stating: "We've invited those with a role to play at the meetings and the programmes of the meetings don't have any role for spouses."

But President Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba said the EU stance was "strange".

"It's very strange that the EU has not extended an invitation to the First Lady. What God has put together the EU is trying to separate," Charamba blasted.

"Do they expect the President to respect the EU and disrespect his own marriage?"

The EU had previously hinted that it would not invite President Mugabe - who is under an EU travel ban - and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir as well as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, which has parts of its territory under Moroccan rule.

The possibility drew protests from the African Union which warned it would boycott the summit in solidarity.

Ambassador Dell'Ariccia said since the First Lady was also under the EU sanctions, she had to seek a special dispensation - the same which had been granted to President Mugabe - to travel to Brussels.

"Since she's under restrictive measures, the host country (Belgium) has to seek a green light from the EU for her to attend. The EU has to reach a consensus but in this case that has not happened."

Charamba said: "I'm aware there's a position of the African Union regarding its participation and that there're preparatory meetings between the EU and AU over African cases."

Zimbabwe's Foreign Affairs Ministry, he said, would be voicing the country's strongest objections at apparent attempts to embarrass the First Family.

And a Foreign Affairs source added: "The EU is trying to dictate who should comprise the delegations of African leaders and even the membership of the AU.

"The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a full member of the AU and it's not an AU which has been defined by the EU but by Africans themselves."

Ambassador Dell'Ariccia confirmed that SADR and President al-Bashir had not been invited to the summit.

"The Sudan has been invited but President Bashir has not been invited because there's an international arrest warrant issued against him (by the International Criminal Court) so if he comes he will be arrested," he said.

"The Sahrawi Republic is not fully recognised by the international community so it has not been invited. On the other hand Morocco has been invited."

At its 22nd Ordinary Session of the General Assembly early this year, the AU threatened to boycott the EU-Africa summit if President Mugabe, who is now the continental body's First Deputy Chairperson, was not invited.

The summit will focus on strategic priorities between the two continents and review the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES) which seeks to deepen relations through a "strengthened political partnership and enhanced co-operation at all levels".

It will also seek the "reinforcement and elevation of the Africa-EU political partnership to address issues of common concern".