The Herald (Harare)

Zimbabwe: Zim-EU Talks Set to Resume Soon

Photo: Morgan Tsvangirai
Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

THE Zimbabwe-European Union re-engagement talks are expected to resume early next month with calls for the complete removal of the illegal sanctions set to take centre stage, Foreign Affairs secretary Ambassador Joey Bimha has said. He said his ministry had so far been verbally informed that dialogue would resume on May 10.

"We are, however, still waiting for the actual invitation in written form about the proposed dates. Once we have been formally invited we will then call for a meeting for the re-engagement team for travel logistics," Ambassador Bimha said.

He said the re-engagement team that comprises representatives from the three political parties in the inclusive Government was going to speak with one voice at the talks. Government, he said, was not calling for partial removal of the embargo.

"The whole idea of the dialogue is to normalise relations between Zimbabwe and the EU. On our part that entails complete removal of sanctions as outlined in the GPA. The three parties have already called for the complete removal of these sanctions. The onus is now on the EU to normalise the relations," Ambassador Bimha said.

In February, the European bloc removed some individuals and companies from its sanctions list, among them Ministers Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Patrick Chinamasa who are part of the Zimbabwe re-engagement team.

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