France Rejects Mugabe

Posted on Jun 30, 2008

Patrick Chappatte, NZZ am Sonntag

France’s foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, announced on Monday that his country would not recognize the government of Robert Mugabe. Kouchner, who co-founded the human rights organization Doctors Without Borders, dismissed Zimbabwe’s recent election as a “farce.”

France’s top diplomat was hopeful that other African nations would pressure Mugabe. To that end, the United Nations has called on African leaders to find a “negotiated solution” to the conflict in Zimbabwe.

AP via The International Herald Tribune:

France’s foreign minister says the re-election of Zimbabwe ruler Robert Mugabe is a “farce” and that France cannot accept it.

Bernard Kouchner says France has decided that the government is illegitimate. France takes over the European Union’s rotating six-month presidency on Tuesday.

Read more

BBC:

UN Deputy Secretary General Asha-Rose Migiro said this was the “moment of truth” for the African Union leaders.

Ms Migiro told the leaders of the 53-nation bloc: “ ... The secretary-general urges your excellencies to mobilise support for a negotiated solution.”

She added: “This is the single greatest challenge to regional stability in southern Africa.”

Read more

Elsewhere: .

Comments

Are you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig.