Brussels, 06/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - In Brussels on Monday, the President of the EU's Development Council, Gun Britt Andersson and European Commissioner Poul Nielson met Robert Mugabe, "at his invitation", a Commission press release stipulates. The press release says that during the talks, which took place during Mugabe's visit to several European capitals, it was agreed that "there was a need for dialogue in accordance with Article 8 of the new Cotonou Agreement", and that the dialogue "will be open and cover all issues of concern to the parties".
You may recall that, at the meeting of the General Affairs Council of 26 February, Robin Cook had drawn attention to the deterioration of the situation in Zimbabwe, where the opposition is being increasingly intimidated and gagged, and had asked for recourse to be made to the mechanisms provided for by the agreement that links the EU to ACP States in case of violations of values that lie at the basis of this agreement. Recourse to Article 8 is the first step in that process, that London would like to pushed further, as far as the use of Article 96, which provides for the suspension of EU assistance to the ACP countries in question.
MEPs level strong criticisms at Nielson
Several members of the European Parliament's Development Committee strongly criticised Commissioner Nielson for having agreed to receive President Mugabe. Did you tell Mr. Mugabe how devastated we are by the continued violations of human rights by his regime? Asked British Conservative Nirj Deva, who, "regarding the "dialogue" that is to be tied with Zimbabwe, exclaimed: "Should we also have discussed with Stalin or Hitler?". As for German Christian-Democrat Michael Gahler (who led the European Parliament observers in last year's elections in Zimbabwe), he said that "diplomacy does not work with Mugabe", who, according to him, only understands one message, the threat of the suspension of EU aid. Have you thought of using Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement, precisely providing for the suspension of aid? Asked British Conservative John Corrie, and Mr. Nielson replied that he first intended exploring all possibilities offered by Article 8, but that he could consider going further if dialogue turns out to be "in vain". The Commission's approach consisting in first trying the path of dialogue was backed by Spanish Socialist Francisca Sauquillo Perez and German PDS member, Hans Modrow, who warned against the excessive pressures that especially the Zimbabwe population would be under.