Mr Smith has also hinted Australia might change its foreign policy towards Zimbabwe and help Mr Tsvangirai rebuild its shattered economy.
Friday’s crash happened as Mr Tsvangirai and his 50-year-old wife, Susan, were travelling from Harare to their rural hometown of Buhera. His wife died at the scene.
The Tsvangirais’ car was hit by a truck which crossed into the oncoming lane and side-swiped the prime minister’s vehicle, causing it to roll several times, Zimbabwe police said. Mr Tsvangirai, who suffered neck and head injuries, has now flown to neighbouring Botswana for medical tests.
We’re expecting that there’ll now be a full, open and transparent inquiry into the circumstance arising to that accident to make sure there was no insidious undertone or motive, Mr Smith told ABC Television on Sunday.
Two of his daughters, who have been living in Australia, are on their way to Africa to be by his side, the ABC said on Sunday.
Mr Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change party has vowed to launch its own investigation, saying a police escort might have prevented the accident.
Mr Smith has asked Australia’s high commissioner in Zimbabwe to pass on the nation’s condolences to Mr Tsvangirai.
The foreign minister on Sunday also suggested the government might be about to change its policy and help Zimbabwe rebuild following years of turmoil and political violence under President Robert Mugabe.
Australia has so far maintained sanctions against Zimbabwe following the formation of a unity government bringing together bitter foes Tsvangirai and Mugabe.
Assistance has been limited to humanitarian aid, but that could be about to change.
To date, our approach has been to be very critical of Mr Mugabe and we’d still prefer that he walked off the stage, Mr Smith said.
But I’m now giving very serious consideration to whether we can do more.
Whether we can start to help rebuild Zimbabwe.
Particularly in the health, agricultural and education areas.
There were some risks in adopting a new approach, given Mr Mugabe’s on-going presence, the foreign minister said.
But my disposition is we should start the job of helping to rebuild Zimbabwe, its social and economic structures, and also give Mr Tsvangirai as much political assistance as we can.
Britain has confirmed that the truck that hit the Tsvangirais’ car was owned by a joint US-British aid project that delivers HIV/AIDS drugs but denied reports that the driver may have fallen asleep.
The driver was not asleep. He was well rested and had not been drinking, a British foreign office spokesman said.
We cannot pre-empt any investigation by giving further details at this stage.
The Australian
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