Africa 'can't restrict EU'
05/12/2007 13:19  - (SA)  

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Britain 'failing to isolate Zim' 'Mugabe won't listen' 'Keep pressure on Harare' Zim 'ready' for EU summit Zim-Britain: 'AU should mediate'

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Pretoria - Africa cannot stop the European Union if it wants to discuss the issue of Zimbabwe during the weekend's European-African summit in Lisbon, Portugal, says Foreign Affairs deputy director-general Gert Grobler.

Speaking to the media at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, he said Zimbabwe was not part of the agreed agenda between the two groups.

Grobler said: "I don't think Africa can stop Europe if they decide to raise under that particular theme (governance and human rights) the issue of Zimbabwe."

"South Africa and Africa would want this summit to focus on the substance of expanding the strategic partnership between the continents - that must be the key focus. It is on that issue that we want tangible outcomes."

Portugal bows to the AU's wish

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was staying away from the Lisbon summit because Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe planned to attend.

Officials from host, Portugal, and Spain were among those who said they would prefer Mugabe to stay home, so as not to divert attention from the economic and political issues on the summit agenda.

But host Portugal bowed to the African Union's wish that leaders of all its members be invited.

Grobler said he hoped attention would be on the political issues, which would focus on peace and security, human rights, good governance, trade and development and climate change.

He said: "Our hope is that we will come away from this summit, not only with a common vision, but with a tangible plan of action."

President Thabo Mbeki would lead the South African delegation to the summit.

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