Brussels, 06/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - Just a few days before the European sanctions against Zimbabwe expire, on 8 February, the Permanent Representatives of Member States failed to come to a formal agreement on renewing the sanctions (see EUROPE of 28 January, p.6). Coreper therefore decided to review the issue in the hope of reaching an agreement on Wednesday, 12 February, during its last meeting before the France/Africa summit on 20 and 21 February.
Diplomatic sources affirm that this failure is not due to the inability to determine the modalities for renewing sanctions but rather to Coreper's determination to resolve, at the same time, the problem of the Europe/Africa Lisbon Summit, initially foreseen for 5 April, but compromised by the question of attendance by Robert Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe.
In the knowledge that, if Robert Mugabe is not invited, several African Heads of State will refuse to take part at the summit, and that, if he is invited, several European Heads of State will boycott the meeting, the representatives of Member States agreed that, after failure of South-African mediation, the Greek EU Council Presidency should make a final attempt at persuading Mugabe to abstain from taking part at the Europe/Africa Summit and to delegate his Foreign Minister to attend. The one week time limit given to Coreper will allow the Presidency to make this attempt and to report back before a formal decision has been taken regarding the renewal of sanctions. Should this fail, the most likely hypothesis is that the summit will be postponed. It will just have to be decided until when. Two ideas have been put forward: a six month postponement or postponement until the beginning of the Italian EU Council Presidency. As a host country for the future Europe/Africa Summit, Portugal stressed that the aim of the Lisbon summit was to promote dialogue between Zimbabwe and to bring Europe and Africa closer together - just one reason why deferring the summit would be the lesser of the evils.
In the context of sanctions, Coreper obtained an informal consensus on the following points: they will be renewed or six months but the exemption requested by a Member State seeking to welcome on its territory a national from Zimbabwe and who is subject to sanctions, will from now on have to, in cases where another Member State objects, obtain a majority by qualified voting in order to obtain an agreement.
In connection with the France-Africa Summit, Coreper has prepared a draft declaration on the official report on the meeting in which it was declared that there was no objection to Robert Mugabe's participation and that France had confirmed his invitation. Although they are aware of the serious worries expressed by some delegations, Coreper points out that the Conference of Heads of State from France and Africa is motivated by a desire to promote political dialogue, democracy, human rights and the State of law and is in keeping with the provisions of the Council's common position that currently governs sanctions against Zimbabwe (common position 145/2002/CFSP in February).