European Parliament calls for transition government and for further European sanctions against Mugabe and his regime

Strasbourg, 11/07/2008 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament, in a resolution passed in Strasbourg on 10 July, welcomed the statement from the G8 summit, refusing the Mugabe regime all legitimacy. To put an end to the climate of fear in Zimbabwe, the EP called for a transition government to be formed in Harare, so that free and fair elections could held in the near future under the auspices of the African Union and the UN. If Robert Mugabe continues to turn a deaf ear to African efforts at mediation, MEPs called on the Council of the EU to toughen sanctions against the dictator, his regime and those responsible for human rights violations. Parliament urged, too, that Security Council sanctions be adopted. It called on China and Libya to stop supporting the regime. Calling on Mugabe to remove all restrictions on humanitarian aid, Parliament expressed concern at the possible impact of the crisis on the region. It welcomed the commitment by European Commissioner Louis Michel to allocate €250 million in development aid once democracy has been restored and a legitimate and credible government has been elected. (O.J./transl.rt)