Brussels, 22/01/2002 (Agence Europe) - In accordance with the request of the European Union, the Zimbabwe authorities consigned in writing, and in time, the verbal promises they made in Brussels on 11 January - at the consultation meeting organised under Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement - to act to remedy the human rights violations, violations of democratic principles and the Rule of Law that the European side accuses them of on the eve of the Presidential elections of 9 and 10 March (see EUROPE of 14 and 15 January, p.8). However, for lack of details on concrete actions, the commitments reiterated are said to be far, for now, from providing full satisfaction to the Europeans. According to a European diplomat, "all depends on the next few days": the guideline the General Affairs Council of 28 January concerning the continuation of consultations or the possible suspension of co-operation with the country, as requested notably by the United Kingdom, Germany and the European Parliament, will take, will depend on the outcome of troika mission that the Union is to send there on Monday.
In a five-page letter, dated 18 January, and received ;last Friday by the Council Presidency, Foreign Minister Mudenge takes up point by point all the concerns expressed by the Union and assures that all will be done to meet these, notably concerning the invitation to all national, regional and international observers to monitor the presidential election. But no information is provided on concrete measures already taken for the invitations and accreditations being sent to the addressees at least forty days before the holding of the elections, as requested by the Union. Likewise, the reference of the mail to the recent appeals by President Mugabe to an end to the political violence seems inadequate to put an end to it.
The information sent by the representatives of Member states in Harare responsible for briefing the Council on progress made on the ground confirm the feeling that, on that point, the situation is further deteriorating rather than improving, and that the promises, however praiseworthy they may be, need concrete action to be credible. Analysing point by point the commitments made, the report proposes options and suggests to the Council Presidency approaching the government of Zimbabwe to request further details. This will be achieved through the sending of the troika mission.
The mail from the Zimbabwe authorities, which has circulated between Member States, has already been discussed in several Council bodies (ACP working group and Political and Security Committee), and on Wednesday is to be discussed by the Committee of Permanent Representatives of Member States.