Bush wants Zim solution soon
2008-07-16 20:06
Special Report
A judge says allegations the main witness was tortured can be raised in Roy Bennett's trial that has shaken Zimbabwe's coalition government.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe says he doesn't expect the US sanctions on his country to be lifted soon.
Washington - US President George W Bush and visiting Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore on Wednesday discussed efforts to bring a peaceful end to Zimbabwe's deadly turmoil and confront violence in Sudan.
Bush told Compaore he was "disappointed" by Russian and Chinese vetoes last week of new UN sanctions aimed at Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe and said Washington was weighing sanctions "beyond" the proposed UN measures.
"We deeply care about the plight of the citizens of Zimbabwe, and we hope there's a peaceful resolution soon," Bush told Compaore, whose country voted in favour of the UN package, including an assets freeze and a travel ban.
"We also, of course, underlined the need - the urgency, especially - for the re-establishment of the real rule of law in Zimbawe, as well as the imperative need, the urgency, too, for Darfur," Compaore said in French.
The visiting leader cited the need for a "political solution" to the crisis in Sudan's violence-wracked province, which he described as "a tragedy, which weighs very heavily on Africa".
Burkina Faso's Foreign Minister, Djibril Bassole, recently became the new joint UN and AU mediator for Sudan's violence-wracked Darfur region.
Africa is grateful
Bush and his guest also discussed US aid to Africa, including Burkina's $480m compact with the US Millennium Challenge Corporation, US aid money to reward countries for free-market and democratic reforms.
"This grant would not have been awarded without your commitment to fighting corruption, your willingness to invest in the health and education of your people, your adherence to marketplace principles," said the US president.
Compaore said he had "expressed our gratitude for the US involvement in Burkina Faso's development" and US aid to fight poverty, promote economic growth, and battle HIV/Aids and malaria.
"And I also explained to the president that, beyond Burkina, all of Africa is grateful for his strong initiatives," said the visiting leader.
In response to a US reporter's shouted question about diplomacy with Iran, Bush joked and replied: "I don't speak French," followed with a wink and a "je ne parle pas francais".
- AFP