"Mbeki attacks US over Zimbabwe stance"

By Andrew Gowers, John Reed and David White in Pretoria
Published: February 21 2005, The Financial Times

South Africa's president has launched an outspoken attack on US efforts to exert pressure on Zimbabwe and asserted that his country can assist its neighbour to hold free elections next month.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Thabo Mbeki said Condoleezza Rice, US secretary of state, had discredited Washington's proclaimed policy to promote freedom by placing Zimbabwe on a list of six "outposts of tyranny" last month, alongside Myanmar, Cuba, Belarus, North Korea and Iran.

"It's an exaggeration and whatever [the US] government wants to do with that list of six countries, or however many, it's really somewhat discredited," Mr Mbeki said.

His comments will reignite controversy about South Africa's approach to the political crisis in Zimbabwe. Some western politicians accuse Mr Mbeki, potentially the most powerful outside influence on that country's affairs, of failing to use his power to good effect, or even of appeasing Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's president, in repressive efforts to prolong his 25-year rule.

Describing his relations with Mr Mugabe as "very good", Mr Mbeki said he hoped a Southern African Development Community observer delegation would visit Zimbabwe soon to help it stage "free and fair" parliamentary elections, planned for March 31.

Few other outside observers believe the elections will be anything but seriously flawed. The US State Department this month expressed concerns about the electoral environment, adding: "Another flawed election will only serve to worsen Zimbabwe's divisions, prolong its economic and governance crises and create even greater hardships for its southern African neighbours."

The SADC regional grouping last year agreed basic conditions for free elections, including the lifting of restrictions on the media. But Zimbabwe's main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, reporting continued violence and intimidation, maintains that these minimum conditions have not been met. Mr Mbeki said: "The one complaint I have had has to do with the register of voters, that it is defective."

He defended his overall approach to Zimbabwe, pointing out that he had in the past criticised Harare for policies and actions of which he disapproved.

"The critical role we should play is to assist the Zimbabweans to find one another, really to agree among themselves about the political, economic, social and other solutions that their country needs. We could have stepped aside from that task and then shout, and that would be the end of our contribution."

Cosatu, the trades union alliance partner in Mr Mbeki's government, has been much more outspoken about Zimbabwe. It plans to stage mass protests on the border next month.

Reprinted for fair use only from:
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/6b930894-8446-11d9-ad81-00000e2511c8.html