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Britain drags Zimbabwe to UN Security Council
New Zimbabwe.com
July 28, 2005

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/un15.12908.html

THE U.N. Security Council Wednesday barely overcame objections of African members and Brazil, China and Russia to hear a briefing on evictions in Zimbabwe.

Last week Anna Tibaijuka, head of UN-HABITAT and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's special envoy, to report on the evictions, said 700,000 people were left homeless in the southern Africa nation because of the government's evictions and demolitions of illegal housing and businesses.

Britain's Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry called for Tibaijuka to brief the council and answer questions. But, Algeria, Benin and Tanzania objected, saying it was not a matter of international peace and security and should be left to the African Union to handle. China, where Zimbabwe's President Mugabe was on an extended official visit, and Russia agreed.

Brazil abstained. Diplomats said Brasilia is courting support from African nations for its quest to get a permanent seat as part of Security Council reform.

But the necessary minimum of nine members agreed and the briefing was held.

Zimbabwe's Ambassador Boniface Chidyausiku said Harare didn't feel the situation "warranted the attention it was receiving."

Mugabe is in China this week where he obtained the full support of Chinese leader Hu Jintao who has vowed to veto any UN resolution o the southern African state.

China is said to be keen to extend its tentacles across the African continent to achieve its projected domestic economic growth.

The Chinese government has agreed to prop up Mugabe's regime through a combination of financial and developmental packages in return for mining rights, according to economic commentators.

Observors say the UN report into the Zimbabwean slum blitz will not be wished away, and is likely to be revisited by the United States and Britain in a shortwhile as they seek to find a permanent solution to the Zimbabwean crisis.

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