Implement reforms - EU
2009-10-22 08:27
Special Report
Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's party has pledged to trim the army and ensure a free society if it wins upcoming general elections.
Brussels - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe must respect the agreement to share power with former opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and speed up democratic reforms, the EU presidency said Wednesday.
Sweden, which currently holds the presidency, called for "swift implementation" of a power sharing agreement struck between Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in February, calling it "the key to re-engagement" with the impoverished country.
"However, elements within (Mugabe's party) have consistently failed to accept real power-sharing and to demonstrate a willingness to assist in the implementation of the reforms to which they have committed," the statement said.
The EU once again stressed its support for the South African Development Community, a regional bloc of 15 states, to resolve the current crisis.
It also called on the SADC and South Africa "to make all efforts to create a constructive environment in which outstanding issues can be resolved".
Dishonest and unreliable
Prime Minister Tsvangirai and his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) cut ties with longtime rival President Robert Mugabe's "dishonest and unreliable" camp on Friday over the renewed detention of top aide, Roy Bennett, on terrorism charges.
While Tsvangirai has said he is not quitting the government, he has vowed to only resume co-operation once outstanding issues are resolved that include disputes over key posts and a crackdown against his supporters.
Bennett, the MDC's feisty white treasurer, subsequently released on bail, was in court on Monday as a judge fixed his trial for November 9 to face charges which carry maximum penalties of life imprisonment or the death penalty.
- SAPA
