Possible UN Sanctions following strong G8 Statement on Zimbabwe
By Rosalind Elphick
July 10, 2008 | Printer Friendly

The G8 leaders issued a strong statement on Tuesday July 8 declaring the Zimbabwean government illegitimate and condemning the violence perpetrated during the re-election of President Robert Mugabe. The Times reports that the leaders are threatening to take further steps against Zimbabwe, including “financial and other measures against those individuals responsible for the violence”.

Speaking on behalf of the G8 leaders, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told a news conference after the summit that “the mood [in the G8] is outrage against what is happening in Zimbabwe, disgust at the behavior of the Zimbabwe regime, an acceptance by all of them that this is an illegitimate regime that has got blood on its hands…With these new sanctions, there will be no safe haven and no hiding place for the criminal cabal that now makes up the Mugabe regime.” According to Reuters, the G8’s draft UN resolution calling for sanctions on President Robert Mugabe's government would include an arms embargo and financial and travel restrictions on 14 officials who were judged responsible for election-related abuses. These include Mugabe himself, the commander of the Army, the police commissioner, the justice and defense ministers and the governor of the central bank in Zimbabwe. The Times reports that the draft resolution would also require the UN to name a representative to Zimbabwe. The effect of this would be to sideline Thabo Mbeki, the President of South Africa, as mediator.

The following day, Wednesday July 9, the BBC reports that Zimbabwe denounced the Group of Eight for planning the sanctions by accusing it of being part of a “colonial and racist move, led by Britain and the United States, to install a puppet government”. The Zimbabwean Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said that “we condemn this colonial and racist campaign against our country and government, but we are also very cognizant that it is Britain and the United States who are leading this campaign whose ultimate goal is to have their puppets in power."

Although Russia signed onto the G8 statement, Reuters reports that Moscow has expressed misgivings about sanctions. The Times also reports that Dmitri Medvedev, the new Russian President, seems to have “changed tack” on Zimbabwe since the end of the summit. The United States delegation asked for the UN Security Council to vote on the G8 draft on the evening of the 9th July, even though Russia and China said they were not ready. Their push for a swift vote lead to “crisis talks in the UN corridors”, and the vote was as a result postponed until July 10 to avoid the risk of a veto by either China or Russia.

Western diplomats have said that they will still have the nine votes needed to secure its adoption in the 15-nation council. When the Washington Post asked the French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert if there are the requisite nine votes behind the proposal, she replied "Yes, we think." Her sentiments were echoed by U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad who said that "the votes are there for it to pass, absent a veto." However, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin warned that his nation could veto it. "We should be very careful about setting precedents," he said. "We should make it clear to begin with that the Security Council is not about to enter into the whole realm of mediating elections, or passing judgment on elections."

The vote is scheduled for today, the 10th July.

References:

BBC: Russia may veto Mugabe sanctions

Reuters: G8 to impose sanctions on Mugabe

Reuters: Zimbabwe condemns G8 sanctions move

Reuters: G8 to seek sanctions after Zimbabwe violence

G8 Leaders Statement on Zimbabwe

The Times: G8: Vote on Zimbabwe sanctions in doubt after Russia falters over G8 pact

Washington Post: Support grows for UN sanctions against Zimbabwe