Don’t judge us, EU told

for the removal of illegal economic sanctions they imposed on Zimbabwe, President Mugabe has said.

The President said this soon after meeting European External Action Services managing director for Africa, Mr Nicholas Westcott at State House in Harare yesterday.
A source that attended the meeting said President Mugabe said this after Mr Westcott had called for the implementation of the GPA as a pre-condition for the removal of sanctions.
“President Mugabe told him (Mr Westcott) that sanctions came before the GPA and he gave him a background on the land reform and how it triggered the sanctions.
“He said the GPA was an internal political settlement arrived at with the assistance of Sadc and the AU and that the sanctions were imposed for reasons that had nothing to do with the EU, but the British.

“The President told him that former France president (Mr) Jacques Chirac had confirmed that the issue was a bilateral matter (between Zimbabwe and Britain) and that they joined in because of solidarity among EU members,” the source said.
President Mugabe, the source said, added that the EU should judge itself first before judging other countries.

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“The President asked him why the EU should act as a judge of our systems and whether they had judged themselves before they cross seas to come and judge us.
“He told him that Zimbabwe will have its elections because it has to and not to meet the EU standards.
“The President said Zimbabwe had no problems with its colleagues in Sadc and the AU, but the EU and North America,” the source said.

The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces also said the EU could not teach Zimbabwe about freedoms since it was Zimbabweans who had to go to war to achieve their independence and freedom they enjoyed today.
The EU and the US imposed illegal economic sanctions on Zimbabwe in response to the country’s land reform programme meant to correct colonial imbalances.
Zimbabwe embarked on the fast-track land reform programme after Britain reneged on its obligations agreed at the Lancaster House Conference that ushered in Zimbabwe’s independence to fund land reforms.

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The Western allies, however, imposed the sanctions under the guise of promoting democratisation in Zimbabwe.
Government last week gave the EU a two-week ultimatum to explain the motive behind imposing the illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe or face litigation at the General Court of European Court of Justice.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Westcott confirmed that the issue of sanctions had been raised.

“Yes, the President mentioned the issue of sanctions and we also talked about a wide range of other issues about how the EU has assisted the people of Zimbabwe.
“I told him that certain things must evolve until sanctions are removed, that is if Zimbabwe parties agree to the full implementation of the GPA and there are free and fair elections then sanctions will go,” Mr Westcott said.

Mr Westcott is on a two-day visit to Zimbabwe and is today expected to meet leaders of other parties in the inclusive Government and NGOs.
EU High Representative for Policy and Security Catherine Ashton appointed Mr Wescott to the post in January this year.