Mbeki rejects EU demands on Zim

2008-07-02 08:00

Johannesburg - President Thabo Mbeki has rejected European Union (EU) demands that Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai must lead a future government in the southern African country, the SABC reported on Wednesday.

"The result that comes out of that process of dialogue, must be a result that is agreed by the Zimbabweans and we certainly - and certainly the African continent - has not made any prescriptions about the outcomes of what the Zimbabweans must negotiate among themselves," Mbeki told the public broadcaster after an African Union summit ended in Egypt.

The two-day summit called for a power-sharing deal between Zimbabwe's political foes. Robert Mugabe indicated that he is willing to engage in talks with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Illegitimate government

But the EU issued a statement after the summit, saying it would only accept a government in Zimbabwe under Tsvangirai's leadership.

"The European Union will not accept a government other than one led by Mr Tsvangirai," French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told France 2 public television.

"The French presidency, along with the (European) Commission, is clear: the government is illegitimate if it isn't led by opposition leader Mr Tsvangirai."

But Mbeki disagreed, saying: "The AU and SADC (Southern African Development Community) cannot dictate the outcome of negotiations between Zimbabwe and political parties.

"Everybody is convinced that it is only via an instrument of an inclusive government, that includes all of these political parties of Zimbabwe, within a framework that they themselves would agree, that this is the only way you can take Zimbabwe forward."

- SAPA