Blair backs 'softly, softly' approach to Zimbabwe
Saturday, 2 June 2007
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Tony Blair has endorsed the mediation efforts by Thabo Mbeki, the South African President, in the search for a solution to the economic and political crisis in Zimbabwe.
Although often at odds over Mr Mbeki's "softly, softly" approach, in private talks the Prime Minister appeared to have given Britain's full support to the President's mediation on behalf of the Southern African Development Community. Mr Mbeki is hoping to persuade Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change to begin negotiations to create a fair political dispensation before elections expected by March next year.
Mr Blair, on the last leg of a farewell African tour before leaving office on 27 June, and Mr Mbeki appeared to be in tune on the right strategy for Zimbabwe, perhaps for the first time. They were questioned mainly on Zimbabwe at a press conference in Pretoria after meeting for more than an hour in Mr Mbeki's office.
Asked if they had reconciled Britain's "loud diplomacy" on Zimbabwe and South Africa's "quiet diplomacy", Blair said his views and Britain's were well-known but were not the important thing. "In the end, what is important is to improve the lives of the people of Zimbabwe. The obligation of Britain is to do everything it can to help. But in the end the solution is an African solution for Zimbabwe and that's why I welcome the work that President Mbeki has undertaken on behalf of the southern African regional grouping.
"And we wish him well and will do whatever we can to support the changes necessary to support the lot of people in Zimbabwe. The change has to come from within Zimbabwe ... and we will try to support those like President Mbeki who are trying to bring about that change."
Mr Mbeki thanked the Prime Minister for championing the cause of Africa, especially at the G8 summit at Gleneagles in 2005 when he persuaded his fellow leaders to sign on to a comprehensive programme of increased debt relief, aid and other help to Africa. Blair, in turn, thanked the President for launching Africa's development programme, Nepad.
Despite criticism from many non-government organisations that the G8 leaders had failed Africa, both leaders expressed optimism that the G8 leaders meeting at their summit in Germany next week would continue to implement the promises they made to Africa at Gleneagles.
The G8 had delivered $38bn (£19bn) in debt relief, another $1bn for vaccinations, considerable development aid, funding to give anti-retroviral drugs to one million Aids sufferers and enough money to educate three million primary school children.
President Robert Mugabe yesterday accused Britain of backing a "terror campaign" by his opponents. The Zimbabwe government described Mr Blair's imminent departure from office as "good riddance".
