ID :
11499
Sat, 07/05/2008 - 09:55
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http://m.oananews.org//node/11499
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US moves for UN sanctions on Mugabe; Russia, China may oppose
Dharam Shourie
United Nations, July 5 (PTI) The United States has
introduced a resolution in the UN Security Council seeking
freezing of assets of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and
11 of his aides following the last week's much-criticised
presidential run-off.
The resolution also asked the 15-member powerful body to
impose an arms embargo against Zimbabwe and a travel ban
targeting Mugabe, the central bank governor and 10 other
officials.
Washington said it expected the resolution to be voted
next week. However, several Council members, including China
and Russia had reservations but it was yet unclear whether
they would go to the extent of casting a veto.
The US Ambassador to the UN, Zalmay Khalilzad, said
imposing sanctions on Zimbabwean leadership had become
necessary in view of the "flawed" presidential elections held
despite a warning by the international community and the UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that poll should be postponed as
conditions for free and fair vote do not exit.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai had won the first
vote on March 29. However, a run-off was ordered which Mugabe
won but human rights groups allege that his supporters had
unleashed a wave of violence and killing against opponents
which prevented them from voting.
Tsvangirai had withdrawn from the run off and hence
Mugabe had no opponent.
Russia, China and South Africa are among those who want
the issue to be resolved by the Africans themselves
Diplomats said the members would need to consult their
capitals which could take sometime and several amendments,
including shortening the list against whom sanction have been
proposed, might be incorporated to get nine votes and no veto
the resolution needs for being adopted.
If Russia and China do not agree with the final
language, the option before them would be to either cast veto
or abstain and let the resolution go through if it can muster
nine votes. Diplomats said that South Africa has expressed
opposition to any such resolution.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had called
it a "flawed election" after his plea to Zimbabwean government
to postpone the poll was rejected.
The Council too had condemned Mugabe's decision to go
ahead with election, stressing that restriction on opposition
and continuing violence made a free and fair poll impossible.
The resolution also calls on the Mugabe government to
remove all obstacles for provision of humanitarian assistance
to its people facing acute economic crisis.
Khalilzad said that there is a "crisis of political
legitimacy." This crisis has not only impacts the people of
Zimbabwe and the region but also "credibility" of the Council.
"We want to respond to that situation in a way that
encourages move towards resolving the legitimacy crisis
without negatively impacting the people of Zimbabwe who are
suffering a great deal at the hands of (Mugabe) regime," he
added. PTI DS
United Nations, July 5 (PTI) The United States has
introduced a resolution in the UN Security Council seeking
freezing of assets of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and
11 of his aides following the last week's much-criticised
presidential run-off.
The resolution also asked the 15-member powerful body to
impose an arms embargo against Zimbabwe and a travel ban
targeting Mugabe, the central bank governor and 10 other
officials.
Washington said it expected the resolution to be voted
next week. However, several Council members, including China
and Russia had reservations but it was yet unclear whether
they would go to the extent of casting a veto.
The US Ambassador to the UN, Zalmay Khalilzad, said
imposing sanctions on Zimbabwean leadership had become
necessary in view of the "flawed" presidential elections held
despite a warning by the international community and the UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that poll should be postponed as
conditions for free and fair vote do not exit.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai had won the first
vote on March 29. However, a run-off was ordered which Mugabe
won but human rights groups allege that his supporters had
unleashed a wave of violence and killing against opponents
which prevented them from voting.
Tsvangirai had withdrawn from the run off and hence
Mugabe had no opponent.
Russia, China and South Africa are among those who want
the issue to be resolved by the Africans themselves
Diplomats said the members would need to consult their
capitals which could take sometime and several amendments,
including shortening the list against whom sanction have been
proposed, might be incorporated to get nine votes and no veto
the resolution needs for being adopted.
If Russia and China do not agree with the final
language, the option before them would be to either cast veto
or abstain and let the resolution go through if it can muster
nine votes. Diplomats said that South Africa has expressed
opposition to any such resolution.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had called
it a "flawed election" after his plea to Zimbabwean government
to postpone the poll was rejected.
The Council too had condemned Mugabe's decision to go
ahead with election, stressing that restriction on opposition
and continuing violence made a free and fair poll impossible.
The resolution also calls on the Mugabe government to
remove all obstacles for provision of humanitarian assistance
to its people facing acute economic crisis.
Khalilzad said that there is a "crisis of political
legitimacy." This crisis has not only impacts the people of
Zimbabwe and the region but also "credibility" of the Council.
"We want to respond to that situation in a way that
encourages move towards resolving the legitimacy crisis
without negatively impacting the people of Zimbabwe who are
suffering a great deal at the hands of (Mugabe) regime," he
added. PTI DS
