South African President Thabo Mbeki yesterday rejected an EU position that it would only accept a Zimbabwean government led by opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
“The result that comes out of that process of dialogue must be a result that is agreed by the Zimbabweans,” said Mbeki on SA FM radio after an African Union (AU) summit in Egypt attended by Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
“And certainly, the African continent has not made any prescriptions about the outcomes of what Zimbabweans must negotiate among themselves,” he said.
“That surely must mean that when the Zimbabweans say that we have all met, discussed and negotiated and this is what we have agreed to take our country, Zimbabwe forward,” he said.
African leaders on Tuesday, in their final resolution after their summit in Egypt, called for dialogue between Zimbabwe’s political foes and a national unity government following Mugabe’s widely discredited reelection.
Their two-day conclave agreed “to encourage President Robert Mugabe and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai to initiate dialogue with a view to promoting peace, stability.”
Mugabe was present when the resolution was adopted, and raised no objections.
The EU said on Tuesday that it would only accept a Zimbabwe government led by Tsvangirai, who overtook Mugabe — the country’s leader since independence — in the first round of a presidential poll held in March.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said as Europe prepared to step up sanctions against Mugabe that the EU would only accept a government led by the opposition leader.
Taiwan last night blanked world No. 1 Japan 4-0 to win the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time. Taiwanese ace Lin Yu-min (林昱珉) held defending champions Japan to just one hit and no runs in the first four innings, before catcher Lin Chia-cheng (林家正) opened the fifth inning with a solo home run. That was soon followed by a three-run homer from Taiwanese captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) to put Taiwan ahead in the prestigious tournament of the world’s top 12 baseball teams. In addition to a superb performance from 21-year-old Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Lin, three more Taiwanese pitchers
SUPPORT: Arms sales to NATO Plus countries such as Japan, South Korea and Israel only have to be approved by the US Congress if they exceed US$25m The US should amend a law to add Taiwan to the list of “NATO Plus” allies and streamline future arms sales, a US commission said on Tuesday in its annual report to the US Congress. The recommendation was made in the annual report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), which contained chapters on US-China economic and trade ties, security relations, and Taiwan and Hong Kong. In the chapter on Taiwan, the commission urged the US Congress to “amend the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 to include Taiwan on the list of ‘NATO Plus’ recipients,” referring to
Taiwan yesterday advanced to the gold medal match of the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time in history, despite last night losing 9-6 to Japan. Taiwan advanced after the US defeated Venezuela in the first game on the last day of the Super Round. However, the US had no chance of advancing to the championship game unless it defeated Venezuela by at least nine points. The US won 6-5. As a result, the two teams — who both had one win and two losses in the Super Round — are to face off again in the
Minister of Labor Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) said she would tender her resignation following criticism of her handling of alleged bullying by Ministry of Labor Workforce Development Agency branch director Hsieh Yi-jung (謝宜容) resulting in the death of an employee. The ministry yesterday gave Hsieh two demerits and said she is subject to review by the Disciplinary Court. The severest possible punishment would be her removal from office and being barred from government jobs indefinitely. Workforce Development Agency Director-General Tsai Meng-liang (蔡孟良) also received a major demerit and was transferred to another position. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) issued a formal apology
RSS