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Travel ban for Zim officials
23/04/2007 22:11 - (SA)
Luxembourg - The European Union extended on Monday sanctions on Zimbabwe, widening a ban on visits to the bloc by President Robert Mugabe and members of his cabinet.
A statement issued by EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg did not say which names might be added to the visa ban list.
But ministers stressed that the EU sanctions agreed were "exclusively aimed at those leading figures responsible for Zimbabwe's crisis of governance and abuses of human rights".
The sanctions were extended in February for another year.
About 130 people, including Mugabe and his close aides, are covered by the EU travel ban. The sanctions also include an assets freeze and a ban on weapon sales to the country.
Longstanding ban
EU ministers condemned "the acts of violent repression against the opposition" in Zimbabwe and called on all parties involved to refrain from violence.
They also said that the bloc stood ready to support regional initiatives aimed at resolving the crisis in the southern African country.
People on the EU's travel ban list are accused of human-rights abuses and violations of freedom of speech and assembly in Zimbabwe.
The travel ban on Mugabe has stopped the EU from pressing ahead with plans to hold a summit with African leaders.
However, Portugal has now said it hopes to convene an EU-Africa summit in the autumn when it takes over the rotating EU presidency from Germany.
The EU has a longstanding ban on visits to the 27-member bloc by Mugabe and members of his cabinet.
Recent violence against opposition leaders and human rights abuses in the country are causing further concern in Europe.
- SAPA
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