February 15, 2003

EU cancels Africa summit

The European Union has postponed indefinitely a summit with African leaders planned for Portugal in April as a result of EU sanctions over Zimbabwe.

Most European countries had said they would boycott the summit if Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was invited.

African nations indicated they would stay away unless Zimbabwe was included.

However France and Portugal had said that the summit should go ahead, arguing that it would be an opportunity to press the Zimbabwean leader on human rights matters.
[...]On Wednesday, EU nations agreed in principle that their sanctions against Zimbabwe should be renewed for another year.

The EU had imposed travel restrictions on the country's leaders and an arms sale ban on Zimbabwe and frozen Zimbabwean assets in Europe after failing to ensure Mr Mugabe improved human rights and reversed controversial agricultural food policies.

But this will not take effect before Mr Mugabe has attended a separate Franco-African summit in Paris next week.

The French threatened to veto the renewal of sanctions without this special exemption.

Yep! More laughs brought to you by Happy Fun Leader Jacques Chirac, acting like his unilateral, petulant self.
Not only is Jacque the biggest (and indeed the only) friend in EUrope that Bobby Mugabe ever had, there's also the little matter of that French invasion of Ivory Coast that the BBC is conveniently leaving out of this report...
Ah, the French.
What noone can figure out is if Chirac it trying to elevate France's position in world affairs or if he just loves to PO Tony Blair (I must admit the look is kinda sexy!).
Stay tuned.