News / National
Mugabe finally gets home after New york debacle
25 Sep 2011 at 18:29hrs | Views
President Mugabe and his delegation of around 100 people including the first lady Grace Mugabe who on Friday were reported to be stranded in New york have finally arrived back at the Harare International Airport. Mugabe was met by Vice President John Nkomo; Defence Minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa and other government ministers.
Mugabe had failed to fly back home from New York after their chartered Air Zimbabwe plane's tyres were punctured while landing. Air Zimbabwe board Chairman Jonathan Kadzura, confirmed that the plane had grounded.
During his visit to New York for the UN General Assembly, the President attended several meetings that ran on the eve of the opening of the 66th Session debate.
The meetings included that on non-communicable diseases such as cancer, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
The President was also among the Heads of State and Government who participated in the high level meeting on environment where he emphasised the close ties between climate change and fighting poverty.
He also addressed the UN General Assembly on the issues of Zimbabwe's fight against sanctions, the need for UN Security Council reforms and on the invasion of Libya by NATO forces.
On that issue, he stressed the African Union (AU)'s position that the Libyan western backed National Transitional Council (NTC) should not be a member of the AU before it ensures the formation of an all-inclusive government.
However some African countries in the AU Security Council, in solidarity with the west, are pushing for the recognition of the NTC before the fulfilment of the conditions that were set by the African continent.
Responding to questions by Zimbabwean journalists at the Harare International Airport, Mugabe said Zimbabwe will not side with those African countries that are siding with the west, as doing so would be a gross violation of the principles of the founding fathers of the African Union and a betrayal of their vision of a united, sovereign and independent continent.
"Our position is that the NTC will only have a seat in the African Union if they really become the de-facto authority of Libya. At the moment there are not because we believe that there should be negotiations between the NTC and the Gaddafi loyalists, and maybe that way there will be a lasting solution to the Libya crisis. What these nations [who called for the recognition of the NTC] have done is selling out against the principles of AU founding fathers. If western nations have been assisting us, it does not mean selling out in that manner and Zimbabwe cannot stand for that," said President Mugabe.
Mugabe also called for the withdrawal of the NATO forces, who he said abused the UN Charter to illegally invade Libya.
The 66th UN General Assembly Session was held under the theme, 'The role of mediation in the settlement of disputes,' a theme that is being undermined some activities of the big powers getting involved in the internal politics of other nations.
Mugabe had failed to fly back home from New York after their chartered Air Zimbabwe plane's tyres were punctured while landing. Air Zimbabwe board Chairman Jonathan Kadzura, confirmed that the plane had grounded.
During his visit to New York for the UN General Assembly, the President attended several meetings that ran on the eve of the opening of the 66th Session debate.
The meetings included that on non-communicable diseases such as cancer, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
The President was also among the Heads of State and Government who participated in the high level meeting on environment where he emphasised the close ties between climate change and fighting poverty.
He also addressed the UN General Assembly on the issues of Zimbabwe's fight against sanctions, the need for UN Security Council reforms and on the invasion of Libya by NATO forces.
However some African countries in the AU Security Council, in solidarity with the west, are pushing for the recognition of the NTC before the fulfilment of the conditions that were set by the African continent.
Responding to questions by Zimbabwean journalists at the Harare International Airport, Mugabe said Zimbabwe will not side with those African countries that are siding with the west, as doing so would be a gross violation of the principles of the founding fathers of the African Union and a betrayal of their vision of a united, sovereign and independent continent.
"Our position is that the NTC will only have a seat in the African Union if they really become the de-facto authority of Libya. At the moment there are not because we believe that there should be negotiations between the NTC and the Gaddafi loyalists, and maybe that way there will be a lasting solution to the Libya crisis. What these nations [who called for the recognition of the NTC] have done is selling out against the principles of AU founding fathers. If western nations have been assisting us, it does not mean selling out in that manner and Zimbabwe cannot stand for that," said President Mugabe.
Mugabe also called for the withdrawal of the NATO forces, who he said abused the UN Charter to illegally invade Libya.
The 66th UN General Assembly Session was held under the theme, 'The role of mediation in the settlement of disputes,' a theme that is being undermined some activities of the big powers getting involved in the internal politics of other nations.
Source - ZBC News
