'Don't turn a blind eye to Zim'

2005-06-24 08:23

London - Foreign ministers from the world's leading industrialised nations reached agreement on wide-ranging issues, from Afghanistan's narcotic production to Israel's withdrawal from the Palestinian territories.

The Group of Eight nations also urged North Korea to resume dialogue on its nuclear programme, called on Iran not to resume its uranium enrichment activities and condemned human rights abuses in Zimbabwe and the western Sudanese region of Darfur.

Some of the strongest words were reserved for Zimbabwe, where thousands of people have been forced from their homes in what President Robert Mugabe says is an urban cleanup operation.

Mugabe's political opponents say the monthlong campaign is meant to punish its supporters for voting against the ruling party in recent parliamentary elections.

"We believe that there really is a high responsibility placed on African leaders not to continue to turn a blind eye to what is going on in Zimbabwe," said Britain's foreign secretary Jack Straw. "If the reports are simply half true - and we believe them to be much more than half true - this is a situation of serious international concern."

Rice called on the African Union to speak out "against these outrages."

The closing statement said those responsible for "massive violations of human rights in Sudan should be prosecuted and brought to justice." Tens of thousands of people have been killed and more than two million others have been displaced from their homes since fighting broke out between government forces and rebel factions in Darfur more than two years ago.

Canada's foreign minister did not attend the meeting because of domestic political concerns. He was represented by senior foreign affairs official Jim Wright.

- AP