'Britain keen on Zimbabwe's Commonwealth readmission'

BRITISH ambassador to Zimbabwe, Peter Vowles, has said his country is keen to have Zimbabwe readmitted into the Commonwealth and end two decades of isolation.

In an exclusive interview with NewsDay on the sidelines of World Children's Day commemorations at Malala Primary School in Beitbridge on Thursday, Vowles  said his country is warming up to Zimbabwe in a new development which could lead to a number of "new things".

"It is a new engagement we are doing,  a new partnership. It's a positive way of looking at things we have. It's a new way of looking at our relationships," he said, although he could not be drawn to reveal whether this would lead to the immediate lifting of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.

Britain has maintained targeted sanctions on five Zimbabwean officials accused of human rights violations.

Vowles was among several high- level dignitaries who accompanied Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga for the annual commemorations. Other dignitaries were the UN permanent representative to Zimbabwe, Edward Kallon, Local Government and Public Works minister Winston Chitando, among others.