EU toughens sanctions against Mugabe regime
RENATA GOLDIROVA
22.07.2008 @ 17:52 CET
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU foreign ministers have stepped up their pressure against Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwean president for almost three decades, by adopting additional sanctions against his regime.
The fresh sanctions will see travel restrictions and a financial embargo imposed on 37 people and four companies connected to Robert Mugabe. Similar measures against 131 Zimbabwean officials have already been in place for some time.
Travel and financial sanctions have been extended on individuals and companies closed to Robert Mugabe (Photo: The Mint Julep)
The decision to extend the restrictive tools came in response to rigged presidential elections in June, which involved the re-elected Robert Mugabe as the only candidate. The EU criticised the poll at the time as invalid.
"It is impossible to accept the second round of elections in Zimbabwe, with children being tortured, with barbarous acts being committed, with a violation of democratic rules taking place," French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner said after the ministerial meeting in Brussels on Tuesday (22 July).
He added that the bloc wanted to play "a positive role" together with the African Union, stressing it was unacceptable to have 80 percent of Zimbabweans living in poverty.
The sanctions come despite Robert Mugabe having agreed on Monday (21 July) to open talks with the opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, on a possible power-sharing deal. Negotiations already under way are expected to last for two weeks.
The UK is seen as a main driving force behind the new sanctions. The country strongly criticised the UN Security Council failure last week to impose tough measures as a result of Chinese and Russian vetoes.