Britain declares interest in Zim-EU sanctions row

Zimbabwe contends that the impo­sition and continued existence of sanctions is a travesty of international law since the United Nations did not approve of them.
It is challenging circumstances where a regional bloc (EU) is allowed to abuse the UN Charter by unilater­ally imposing illegal sanctions against another country.
When it imposed sanctions on Zim­babwe, the EU did not communi-               cate its decision to people and companies on the sanctions list as dictated  by Article (2) of the Council Deci-sion.

EU sanctions followed Govern­ment’s decision and subsequent acqui­sition of commercial white-held farms in 2000 after the Tony Blair regime refused to fund the land redistribution programme, deviating from a pledge made by his Tory predecessors.

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In July this year, the EU extended the sanctions it imposed on Zim­babwe by another 12 months.
This is despite calls for their uncon­ditional removal by Sadc, the African Union and Common Market for East­ern and Southern Africa, and the Non-Aligned Movement, among other global players.

In extending the embargo that has affected ordinary Zimbabweans, the EU said it would consider reviewing its position after the country holds a referendum on the envisaged new constitution.
Justifying the extension of the illegal sanctions, the 27-member grouping said: “The EU agrees that a peaceful and credible constitutional referen­dum would represent a milestone in the preparation of

democratic elec­tions that would justify a suspension of the majority of all EU targeted restrictive measures against individu­als and entities.”