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Zimbabwe cautioned
The Times of Zambia
May 28, 2008

http://www.zwnews.com/issuefull.cfm?ArticleID=18871

Zambia has cautioned Zimbabwean authorities against unwarranted attacks on the Government and its leadership to avoid straining the long-standing cordial relations between the two countries. Chief Government spokesman, Mike Mulongoti, said in Lusaka yesterday that Zambia was dismayed by the recent verbal attacks published in the Zimbabwean government media attributed to justice minister, Patrick Chinamasa. Mr Chinamasa had expressed disappointment with President Mwanawasa's alleged failure as Southern African Development Community (SADC) chairman to ask Britain to lift sanctions against Zimbabwe. "The Government of the Republic of Zambia wishes to express its consternation and deep concern at the unrestrained attacks on its Head of State and SADC chairman. "These attacks on Zambia and its leadership have regrettably a great potential to unnecessarily strain the warm and cordial relations that have existed between the two sister Republics since time immemorial," Mr Mulongoti said.

He said authorities in Zimbabwe should exercise maximum restraint, especially during these trying moments in their history, when dealing with SADC countries, including Zambia for the maintenance of peace, security and stability in the region. Mr Mulongoti said the attacks were seemingly bent on discrediting the integrity of President Mwanawasa's office as Zambian Head of State and SADC chairperson in the eyes of the international community. "It is well known that the Government of the Republic of Zambia has stood by Zimbabwe's side bilaterally as well as within the framework of the SADC, the African Union (AU) and internationally," he said. He said Zambia had, in fact, joined many regional and international efforts aimed at resolving the prevailing difficult situation in Zimbabwe in the last few years.

Mr Mulongoti said Zambia attended the extraordinary SADC summit held in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, on May 29, 2007, which mandated South African President, Thabo Mbeki to mediate in the Zimbabwe crisis and that led to peaceful elections in March. He said the Dar-es-Salaam summit also exhorted all SADC member state to use enhanced diplomatic contacts, which would assist with the resolution of the situation in Zimbabwe. "In no circumstances did the summit task the then SADC chairman nor the subsequent chairs alone to undertake diplomatic efforts as the Zimbabwean authorities are suggesting through the wrong channels of the media," he said. He said the Dar-es-Salaam summit mandated SADC finance ministers to work with authorities in Zimbabwe with a view of drawing up an economic recovery plan for the country but Zimbabwe did not facilitate the ministers' meeting. Mr Mulongoti said President Mwanawasa, as SADC chair, had expressed solidarity with Zimbabwe by ensuring with other African leaders, that President Robert Mugabe attended the Africa-European Union (EU) summit in Portugal in December, 2007.

Last month, President Mwanawasa again called for the extraordinary SADC summit with a view of finding a lasting solution to the political election crisis in Zimbabwe. He said SADC expressed similar solidarity with Zimbabwe when the International Conference on Poverty and Development was held in Mauritius last month. Mr Mulongoti said these actions were sufficient testimony to Zambia's support to Zimbabwe and its determination to help Zimbabwe overcome its current depressing socio-economic and political situation. Meanwhile Mr Mulongoti has clarified that there is no movement of an estimated 25,000 Zimbabwean refugees from South Africa to Zambia saying that had only been planned for as contingency. Mr Mulongoti, however, said that Government's position on the matter was that if such a situation developed, it would consider the matter after receiving official request from the United Nations, through the High Commission for Refugees (HCR).

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