Botswana Govt reiterates stance on Zimbabwe crisis

Saturday, 08 November 2008 16:59

GABORONE - The deteriorating political situation in Zimbabwe left Botswana with no choice, but to openly express her concern and make calls for Zimbabwean authorities to create a conducive climate to holding free and fair elections.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Phandu Skelemani said this during a lecture on Botswana's position with respect to the power sharing deal and lessons on quite diplomacy at the University of Botswana this week. Mr Skelemani explained that relations between Botswana and Zimbabwe have been underpinned by a common cultural and historical heritage as well as geography.

"The period following the first round was marked by serious acts of politically motivated violence and intimidation, including repeated arrests and detention of one of the candidates, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai," he mentioned.Regrettably, he noted that there was no change as politically motivated violence, arrests, harassment and intimidation continued, leading to the withdrawal of the MDC leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai from the presidential run off election.

After the one man presidential run off, Mr Skelemani noted that as a country that practices democracy and the rule of law, Botswana found that it could not, recognise the outcome of the Zimbabwean presidential run-off election, and called on other SADC member states to do the same.

"Our decision was based on the fact that the legal process of producing a government in Zimbabwe had failed and those who claimed to represent Zimbabwe at the political level should be excluded from attending SADC and Africa Union meetings," he highlighted.

Mr Skelemani said that other SADC members, for reasons best known to them, held a different view.The minister explained that they supported the mediation of former South African president, Mr Thabo Mbeki in the hope that the negotiations would bear fruit.

He also mentioned that Botswana welcomed the power sharing deal signed on September 15 to pave way for the formation of a government of national unity.

Regrettably, Mr Skelemani explained that the deal has not borne any fruit as parties remain deadlocked over allocation of ministerial portfolios.

"Botswana is therefore of the view that should the present deadlock continue without resolution, the only viable solution to the political impasse is a re- run of the presidential run-off election under international supervision," Mr Skelemani said. He said that Botswana employed quite diplomacy because she thought things would turn out for the better.The country resorted to speaking out after realising that the situation had reached crisis proportions. BOPA