Rechercher

/ languages

Choisir langue
 

Zimbabwe

Sarkozy says Mugabe must go

Article published on the 2008-12-08 Latest update 2008-12-12 17:23 TU

Members of the Elders meeting in Paris.(Photo: Thierry Boccon-Gibod)

Members of the Elders meeting in Paris.
(Photo: Thierry Boccon-Gibod)

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Monday that he thinks Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe must go. This followed a meeting in Paris with former US President Jimmy Carter and ex-UN chief Kofi Annan, who said they do not think Mugabe can lead the nation out of crisis.

Print the article

Send the article

Comments on article


Sarkozy said that Mugabe, one of the world's longest serving leaders, must quit, and he stated that the time for negotiations is over.

"There comes a time when a dictator does not want to hear, does not want to understand, and so my understanding is that heads of states and governments must end discussions," said Sarkozy.

"It is the time to say to Mr Mugabe: 'You have taken your people hostage. The people of Zimbabwe have the right to freedom, to security and to respect'," he continued.

This comes amid growing pressure from Britain and the rest of the EU for Mugabe to relinquish control of a country, which is in the grip of hyperinflation and cholera epidemic.

"The moment has arrived to put all the pressure for Mugabe to step down and give the opportunity once again to the people of Zimbabwe to get their life together and begin to move the country forward," EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said.

Sarkozy met with the Elders group Monday at the Elysee Palace during a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Elders are a group of world leaders originally brought together by musician Peter Gabriel and businessman Richard Branson, intended to guide and support governance and morality.

The group, which includes Kofi Annan, Desmond Tutu and Jimmy Carter, released a detailed report on the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe, and expressed their concern over the inability of the current government to relieve the suffering of their people, although they were not allowed to visit the country. 

 

Jimmy Carter speaking to RFI in Paris

 
 

08/12/2008 by Pauline Simonnet

 

"The first step, I think, is to give Mugabe a chance to comply with the agreement he's already consummated with [opposition leader Morgan] Tsvangirai and others, and that is to give shared responsibility for his opposition in the government,” Carter told RFI. “If he doesn't do that then I certainly agree that he should step down or be removed, but I think we should go along first with the proposal that is now underway.”

Mugabe is yet to honour a power-sharing agreement with Tsvangirai signed in September after disagreements about the distribution of key government ministries.