Zimbabwe row threatens to halt EU conference

A parliamentary meeting between EU nations and their former colonies was on the verge of collapse today over the exclusion of two Zimbabwean government officials seeking to attend the fourday conference in Brussels.

The solemn opening of the conference was postponed as both sides sought a compromise to stave off the cancellation of the meeting.

“If there is no change on the part of the EU, then I am afraid there will be no meeting,” said a diplomat of one of the 76 African, Caribbean and Pacific nations,.

Over the weekend, the European Parliament said it will not accept Zimbabwe’s Minister of State for State Enterprises Paul Mangwana and Deputy Finance Minister Chris Kuruneri on its premises because of an EU travel ban to protest the human rights record of President Robert Mugabe.

“The meeting is no longer likely,” said an EU official.

The ACP side insisted it was not up to the EU to decide on who to exclude on its delegation. A South African diplomat said any decision had to be taken jointly, not unilaterally by the EU side.

Weekend talks failed to bring the two sides closer together.

EU parliament officials have warned security staff to keep both Zimbabwean officials out of the parliament building where the meeting was supposed to take place.

The EU established a travel ban on senior Zimbabwean officials to punish Mugabe, claiming human rights abuses have increased over the past year and were pushing the country into chaos.

Belgium approved the visas for the two because it was bound by a commitment to the ACP nations to allow delegates into the country.