HARARE Reengagement talks between Zimbabwe and the European Union opened in Brussels on Friday but no major breakthrough was expected as ongoing farm invasions by President Robert Mugabes supporters blighted Harares chances of winning a sanctions reprieve for the aging leader and members of his cabal.Zimbabwean ministers Elton Mangoma, Patrick Chinamasa and Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, travelled to the Belgian capital last Thursday for the talks after getting an invitation from the EU last month.
The meeting is confirmed and will take place in Brussels in presence of the EU High Representative/Vice President of the Commission Cathy Ashton and the Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs, EU spokesperson Catherine Ray told The Zimbabwean On Sunday from the Belgian capital.
Mugabes Zanu (PF) was hoping to use talks with the EU to push for lifting of the sanctions although observers ruled out the possibility
of Brussels scrapping the punitive measures until its calls for more political and democratic reforms in Zimbabwe are heeded.
Working against Mugabes favour was last months invasion of three farms in the eastern Manicaland region which are owned by a German national.
The Germany embassy in Harare last Wednesday issued a note verbale to the Zimbabwean government expressing displeasure at Harares tolerance of the occupation of Makandi Tea Estate and Coffee (Pvt) Limited, Border Timbers Limited and Forrester Estate Private Limited by one of Mugabes supporters.
One of Mugabes supporters only identified as Mr Muzite, led a mob of
20 armed and drunken men that violently occupied the properties on
June 18.
All the properties are owned by a German citizen, Heinrich von Pezold,
and are covered by an investment protection agreement signed by
Zimbabwe and Germany in 1995 but which came into force in 2000.
The Harare government has refused to act against the illegal occupants
who claim they were allocated the properties under Mugabes
controversial land reform programme.
Germany threatened to withdraw aid to Zimbabwe in protest at what its
embassy said was Harares tolerance for theft of private property.
In a second protest letter to Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi
in three weeks, the German embassy urged the Zimbabwean government to
urgently intervene and stop the illegal occupation of the three
plantations.
The Zimbabwean government should be aware of the German governments
support for Zimbabwes development which in 2009 alone amounted to
over US$50 million… However, it will not be in a position to support
a government which tolerates the blunt theft of German nationals
property in Zimbabwe, read part of the protest letter.
Relations between Harare and Brussels took a hit following the holding
of a violence-marred presidential poll won by Mugabe in 2002.
The EU and its Western allies condemned the election as a fraud and
imposed visa and financial sanctions against the Zimbabwean leader and
his top allies in Zanu (PF) and in the military.
Post published in: News