Harare — THE African Union and Sadc will not unnecessarily interfere in Zimbabwe's internal affairs, AU Commission chairperson Dr Jean Ping has said.

Addressing journalists on the sidelines of the First Ordinary Session of the Second Pan-African Parliament at the Gallagher Convention Centre yesterday, Dr Ping said AU members should be given an opportunity to address domestic problems before the matter could be tackled at regional and continental level.

He said the AU would remain guided by "the principle of subsidiarity".

His statement came as the Sadc secretariat confirmed a team of foreign ministers from the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security would jet into Zimbabwe today on a scheduled visit to review the inclusive Government and Global Political Agreement.

In South Africa, Dr Ping said: "We implement a general rule: the principle of subsidiarity. If this country can sort out disputes alone then we don't need to intervene." This was in response to a question on the union's position on MDC-T's "disengagement" from the inclusive Government.

"Sadc would only be asked to try and help if the country cannot sort out the dispute.

"If the region cannot also help, then we and subsequently the United Nations, can come in."

He said Sadc's mandate carried the authority of African leaders, adding that the regional bloc would be the first port of call if the country was unable to handle its internal problems.

"The agreement was to share power through Sadc assistance and, of course, we were also on hand to assist and we applauded that," he said.

The ministerial Troika will arrive in Harare today.

The troika is made up of ministers from Angola, Mozambique and Zambia.

Yesterday, Sadc public relations head Ms Leefa Martin confirmed the Troika's visit and mandate.

"This is the agreed review that was set to take place six months after the establishment of the inclusive Government," Ms Martin said.

"Sadc will only be in a position to state its position once the Troika has visited Zimbabwe and know exactly what the progress that has been made thus far," she said.

Ms Martin said the visit had been "slightly delayed" by the recent Sadc Heads of State and Government Summit.

"It was to happen in September but as you know, that was the same month that we had the 29th Summit of Sadc Heads of State and Government," she said.

The Troika will meet President Mugabe, Zanu-PF, MDC-T, MDC and civic bodies.

MDC-T spokesperson Mr Nelson Chamisa yesterday insisted that if the Troika did not act on their demands they would seek a full Sadc summit.

"If the meeting fails to break the deadlock, we will push for a Sadc summit. If Sadc fails then we will push for a framework that would ensure free and fair elections," he said.

Prior to his Press conference, Dr Ping addressed the main parliamentary plenary where he advocated Africa's political and economic integration.

He said the continent would emerge a powerful voice if its people promoted collective objectives.

He hit out at the West for interfering in international justice systems, saying it was time Africa constituted a court of justice.

"It is humiliating that The Hague is only for African 'criminals'. This is a double-standard and undiplomatic because other 'criminals' are allowed to move about with impunity.

"The former US president (George W. Bush) went into Iraq (without the authority of the United Nations), thereby breaching statutes of the UN Charter.

"I know I am going to face criticism over this."

Dr Ping said work was underway to confer full legislative powers to PAP.

He said his commission had hired experts to draft amendments to the protocol establishing the grouping of African legislators.

Libya's PAP representative, Dr Mohamed Elhouderi, said the continent's economic development remained constricted because of colonialism and its successor -- neocolonialism.

"Africa's economies and people were colonised so they fear the coloniser's on-going attempts to profit from their resources and to enslave their citizens," he said.

Mr John Cheyo of Tanzania said PAP's transformation was urgent.

He, however, advocated that the institution's membership be drawn from national parliaments instead of universal suffrage.

Ms Juliana Katengwa of Rwanda said: "PAP is the only institution that broadly represents the voice of Africans.

"It, however, remains voiceless without legislative powers: we should be able to pass laws for the good of our people."