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Merkel calls Zimbabwe situation disastrous
German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday described the crisis in Zimbabwe as "disastrous" after talks with South African President Thabo Mbeki, who has been criticised for not taking a tough line on the issue.
- Reuters
- Published: 00:42 October 6, 2007
- South African President Thabo Mbeki (right) meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Pretoria.
- Image Credit: EPA
Pretoria: German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday described the crisis in Zimbabwe as "disastrous" after talks with South African President Thabo Mbeki, who has been criticised for not taking a tough line on the issue.
"I thank South Africa for trying to overcome a very unsatisfactory situation in Zimbabwe ... the situation is very difficult. Not to say a disastrous one which I very clearly said in our conversations," Merkel said after holding talks with Mbeki in Pretoria.
A source familiar with the meeting's agenda said earlier the German chancellor would try to persuade Mbeki to take a harder line with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
Mbeki has been mediating talks between Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
Mbeki has adopted a policy of "quiet diplomacy" toward Mugabe and has been mediating talks between Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. "Very good progress is being made ... these negotiations are going very well and there is a common determination to conclude them as quickly as possible. We are confident that they will reach an agreement on these matters," Mbeki said after his talks with Merkel.
"There is a united voice emerging from the ruling party [ZANU-PF] and opposition on what to do to address these political problems," he added.
Merkel, who put tackling poverty in Africa on the Group of Eight industrialised countries' agenda during her presidency this year, has not signalled a willingness to follow British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's cue on Zimbabwe. Last month Brown said he would boycott an EU-Africa summit in Lisbon in December if Mugabe was invited.
Yesterday Merkel reiterated her government's position that everybody should be invited to the summit.
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