Mugabes head home after shopping

ROBERT and Grace Mugabe swept out of Paris yesterday afternoon after a high profile summit and shopping trip which defied calls from the EU for the couple to be banned.

Thanks to the patronage of French President Jacques Chirac, the president of Zimbabwe, his wife and a vast entourage of bodyguards and servants enjoyed a winter break in Europe in the company of the heads of state of 51 other African nations.

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell attempted to have Mugabe arrested by French police and put on trial for torture and other human rights abuses.

But as the Zimbabwe delegation flew home last night Mr Tatchell’s detailed legal complaint against the dictator still lay on file at the Palais de Justice in Paris.

President Chirac pressured the rest of the EU to agree to let President Mugabe in for the three-day summit in return for French support for renewing an EU-wide travel ban for another year.

Chirac wanted a three-day opt out to host President Mugabe and avoid the embarrassment of other African leaders boycotting his prestigious Franco-African gathering.

And while Mugabe attended the summit, his wife Grace pursued her favourite pastime of shopping in expensive Paris boutiques.

President Chirac risked condemnation for feting the Mugabes. He succeeded at the summit in getting endorsement from all 52 African nations for his anti-war stance over Iraq.

But even the French public, which supports him wholeheartedly over Iraq, reacted strongly against the presence of the Mugabes in their capital city.

The scale of criticism shocked President Chirac who felt obliged to limit the warmth of his welcome for President Mugabe.

Longer term damage has also been done to relations with the rest of the EU.