Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-07-09-Speech-3-403"
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"en.20080709.36.3-403"2
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"Mr President, I shall be very brief. Mr Jouyet and the other speakers have said it all.
Obviously I can only endorse wholeheartedly the views expressed, particularly by Mr Van Orden and Mrs Kinnock, but at the same time I have to add that the Commission’s power is, of course, essentially the power of diplomacy, but perhaps it is also the power to prepare for what action we could take if – and this is obviously what we wish for with all our hearts and will press for with all the means at our disposal – the mediation process were to succeed in bringing about the emergence of a government led by Mr Tsvangirai.
I therefore completely agree with the views expressed by Mr Van Orden, Mrs Kinnock and all the others who spoke, Mrs Hall, Mr Hutchinson and Mr Gahler – I hope I have not left anyone out. There is just one point on which I disagree. You know that I am in the habit of speaking frankly. I do not agree that we should condemn the Portuguese Presidency for having organised, in Lisbon, a summit which had been awaited for years and which the Zimbabwean question was preventing from being held.
This summit between the European Union and Africa was long overdue, and it was time to take action. We are perfectly well aware that Mr Mugabe’s presence was guaranteed by the African Union’s desire not to be restricted by the other party, i.e. the European party, in its choice of whom to invite. I therefore believe that this criticism is unfair.
Moreover, I should also like to emphasise the particularly difficult situation in which South Africa finds itself. In South Africa’s position, it is no easier for it to move than it is for President Thabo Mbeki to the play the role of mediator. Everyone knows perfectly well, in this case, that at the present time the first country to feel the effects of the crisis in Zimbabwe – or rather the failure to resolve that crisis – is South Africa. I would therefore ask you to try and look at the situation from the point of view of South Africa’s difficulties. I also believe that South Africa is conducting the mediation process as conscientiously as it should.
Obviously I share the view, expressed by all those who have spoken, that the mediation process should be expanded, not only to ease South Africa’s position, but also to give the various parties involved in solving this crisis a more balanced perception of the situation.
Finally, to reply to one of the questions raised, for the time being we are preparing a real ‘development and humanitarian’ package, so as to ensure, if Mr Tsvangirai comes to power, that he has immediate support, so as to give the people of Zimbabwe, immediately, reasons to believe in this change of government, and also perhaps so as to give rise locally to a certain amount of desire for regime change, with the support of local opinion and public opinion and, of course, with the support of the actively involved international community.
I would just like to make one last point about the African Union. I would argue in favour of a little more understanding. What is the African Union’s problem? As I have already said, the problem for the African Union is that it has to juggle two different opinions. One opinion is extremely and openly critical of Zimbabwe and its virtual President, and another opinion takes the view that more flexibility is needed, that sanctions will be useless, and that there should not be any sanctions. Unity, therefore, is not easy to obtain within the African Union. We have to recognise this, and that is why we must also interpret the conclusions of African Union meetings from this perspective, from this viewpoint.
However, I have to say that the information I have been given just now inclines me to believe that, for the time being, unity is making headway and the African Union will be in a position to make useful and effective proposals on how to emerge from this crisis, which is obviously regrettable, and which is a real insult to all those who, in Africa, support democracy and ensure its progress."@en1
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