BRITAIN yesterday led European countries in condemning moves by Zimbabwe's president, Robert Mugabe, to take control of key ministries in defiance of a power- sharing deal with opposition parties.
David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, said the EU would "play no part in supporting a power grab by the Mugabe regime".
He added: "It is important that there is an international united response that says that the results of the elections (earlier
this year] need to be respected and a power grab will not be respected."
Mr Miliband also said he hoped that South Africa's former president, Thabo Mbeki, the chief mediator in Zimbabwe's political crisis, could help find a solution that would allow opposition groups to share power with Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party.
Other EU ministers said they were keeping "a close watch on the implementation of the agreement" signed on 15 September by Mr Mugabe and the opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai.
They said they would keep sanctions against Zimbabwe in place until they saw proof the deal was being implemented properly.
The sanctions include visa bans and asset freezes on senior Zimbabwean officials, including the president.
The condemnations came after Mr Mugabe swore in two vice-presidents ahead of talks on forming a cabinet, a move which, although not flouting the law, could further endanger power-sharing negotiations.
He had already angered the opposition by allocating important ministries to his party at the weekend.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change has said it doubts mediation by Mr Mbeki will secure an acceptable compromise.
Mr Tsvangirai said on Sunday that his party could walk away from the power-sharing deal if Mr Mbeki's latest mediation failed to end the deadlock on dividing key ministries.
Mr Mugabe handed his party the ministries of defence, home affairs – which is in charge of the police – and finance, which will be important in eventually reviving the collapsing economy.
The full article contains 323 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
