Jonathan Moyo meets British envoy

Government has said Britain holds the key to unlocking the process of moving towards full normalisation of relations with Zimbabwe and should simply remove the sanctions imposed on President Mugabe and First Lady Grace Mugabe.

Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo told British Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ms Catriona Laing yesterday that if her country was committed to full restoration of relations, sanctions on the First Family should be scrapped unconditionally. Prof Moyo made the remarks during Ms Laing's courtesy call at his Munhumutapa also attended by his deputy Cde Supa Mandiwanzira. Sources who attended the meeting said Prof Moyo told Ms Laing that for Zimbabwe, full normalisation of relations meant no sanctions or restrictions.

"Prof Moyo told her that full normalisation means restoration of the framework without sanctions," said the source.

"The Minister said full normalisation should see both countries pursuing their interests under international norms of diplomatic relations without conditionalities.

"He told the ambassador that the British, in their quest to normalise the relations had softened their language while keeping their objectives."

The source said Prof Moyo said by keeping President Mugabe on the sanctions list, Britain and its allies were communicating that something was wrong about Zimbabwe. The source added that Prof Moyo said it was also impossible for Britain to engage with the Government, minus its Head of State.

"The Minister said it does not make sense that Britain wanted to engage the Government through the appointees of the head of that Government and not through the Head of State," said the source.

"The Minister told her that it was abnormal and unacceptable that for the past 15 years Britain wanted to treat Zimbabwe as a country without a Government, saying it will support Zimbabweans but not through their Government.

"Now they want to treat Zimbabwe as a country with a Government, but without a leader.

"The Minister told Ms Laing that one can't, unless playing games, engage Government without willing to engage its leader."

The source said Ambassador Laing raised concerns on the alignment of the laws to the country's new Constitution expressing disappointment in "delays" to put in place legislation that enables the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to transfer and register voters. But Prof Moyo, the source said, hinted that alignment of laws was an issue for Zimbabweans not the British.

"The ambassador said she was interested in seeing if or when Zimbabwe was going to have that provision through an Act of Parliament, putting it into some kind of conditionality," said the source.

"Prof Moyo responded heavily, saying the ruling party, Zanu-PF was the first victim of the fact that there was no legislation as it had nominated someone (Dr Gideon Gono) for Senate but was rejected.

"The Minister told her that this was a non-issue as there was nobody in Government who did not want Zec to have the authority and power which it is given by the Constitution. He went on to say that for anyone outside our country to try and use that as a conditionality is proof that there are no longer any serious reasons, if ever they were, for imposing sanctions. Their conditionalities have been rendered useless by developments on the ground."

The source said Ambassador Laing also complained about the language used by local politicians, but Prof Moyo said the British should never expect kind words from Zimbabwean officials as long as the embargo on its leadership was in place.

Possibilities of having a direct flight between Harare and London were also discussed. Speaking after the meeting, Ms Laing said she had a constructive meeting with Prof Moyo and Cde Mandiwanzira.

"We talked about some of the steps that have been taken to establish confidence-building measures between UK and Zimbabwe," she said.

"We reflected on the recent trade mission which went very well. We reflected the steps both sides need to take in order to move the relations forward. I mentioned, for example, the need to continue to give assurance to investors about the rule of law, the Indigenisation Act and other measures that need to be taken and ensuring that there is alignment of law with the new constitution.