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The two met at the German Foreign Office on the sidelines of ITB Berlin, Germany’s mega travel and tourism fair, which Minister Mzembi attended en route from an official visit to Chicago, Illinois, in the USA.
The meeting, attended by Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Germany, Hebson Makuvise and Ian Hendrick van Thiel, Deputy Head of Division for the African Union, Southern Africa, and the Great Lakes Region, at the German Foreign Ministry, touched on a number of bilateral issues.
On the issue of sanctions, Ambassador Lindner informed the minister of the recent EU decision to extend “appropriate restrictive measures” on Zimbabwe.
He added that in recognition of the peaceful progress and democratic developments in the country, the European body had removed 51 individuals and 20 companies from the sanctions list.
The Ambassador also said that the EU could meet at any time and react to any progress the country might make within the context of the GPA.
Minister Mzembi responded that about 95 percent of the GPA issues had been agreed on and the major outstanding issues were around the question of sanctions, in regard of which Zanu-PF’s position is that these must go before the EU can try to involve itself with observation of elections.
The party, Minister Mzembi said, is not impressed with the EU’s piecemeal approach and in fact, finds it divisive.
“You cannot have your cake and eat it too, we don’t observe European elections,” he said.
The Minister went on to say the planned holding of the 2013 General Assembly at the Victoria Falls, bringing, as it will do, 190 UNWTO member countries and 400 affiliated organisations to Zimbabwe, is a huge endorsement of destination.
Europe unanimously supported Zimbabwe’s bid to host the 20th session of the UNWTO General Assembly. Germany in March 2009 was the first European government to revise travel warnings on Zimbabwe, giving the destination a new clean bill of health, when the then Germany ambassador to Zimbabwe, Dr Albrecht Conze delivered the Germany Government’s decision to the tourism minister.
Subsequent to that the entire EU bloc revised travel warnings on the country. Ambassador Lindner then explained that the European bloc was composed of 27 countries, some of whom have very strong reservations against Zimbabwe.
Although Germany was ready to engage Zimbabwe more comprehensively, it has, unfortunately, to work within the auspices of the EU, within which a common EU position is adopted. Minister Mzembi responded saying “Germany must stop reading the Zimbabwe situation through European lenses”, explaining that he had equally advised the
American bloc to do likewise.
“On the balance of issues, you have your national interests to protect, if the EU position is weighing you down, then go unilateral,” Minister Mzembi advised.
Ambassador Lindner alluded to the alleged continued disregard of the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection by Zimbabwe, saying that in the past there have been occupation of farms owned by German nationals. This is in spite of the fact that the farms were bought after independence.
Minister Mzembi proffered that land issues tended to be party-driven, and for Zanu-PF, Ambassador Moyo was the point man and there would some merit for the Germany Ambassador to Zimbabwe to engage Ambassador Moyo over such issues.
Online Reporter