The Prime Minister, Mr Mugabe, yesterday dismissed suggestions that his Government was opposed to the Soviet Union establishing diplomatic ties with Zimbabwe, and said the Kremlin was free to open an embassy here.
"We have told them everything that, they are free to establish an embassy here and the initiative is entirely their own".
Mr Mugabe told an airport news conference on his arrival yesterday from a five-day visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"It's up to the Soviet Union to send people here to discuss the formalisation (of our relationships). As and when they would want to do so, they will find us extremely responsive and we have sent word to that affect to them."
He was answering a questioner who wanted to know if Moscow had been snubbed in its efforts to establish diplomatic links with Salisbury as claimed by certain politicians.
The Prime Minister told journalists that his visit to Korea had been "very successful" as closer ties between the two nations had been forged and an awareness of Zimbabwe's problems realised.
Mr Mugabe said the Chinese leaders had also assured him of Peking's support and that there would be economic cooperation between the two countries.
The Prime Minister, whose delegation included two Cabinet Ministers and several deputies, said he had taken them on his tour to enable them to study the relevant ministries in Korea, which had excelled over the past 10 years, despite being an agricultural country.
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On South Africa, he said Korea and China had been unanimous in their support for all democratic forces that were trying to "transform and destroy" apartheid in Pretoria and Namibia.
Iana-Reuter reports that the Korean President yesterday named his 38-year-old son Mr Kim Chong-II as his political successor.
Lessons for today
Russia has maintained diplomatic relations with Zimbabwe for several decades, dating back to the Soviet era when it supported liberation movements in Zimbabwe. The Russian Federation has continued to engage with Zimbabwe through various diplomatic channels.
In recent years, there have been discussions about enhancing bilateral relations between Russia and Zimbabwe, particularly in areas such as trade and investment.
Zimbabwe relies on Russia for security support, including advanced military equipment such as Ansat light helicopters.
Economically, the partnership is exemplified by Russian investments in Zimbabwe's mining sector - the Darwendale platinum mining venture, which highlights the mutual benefits derived from their collaboration. In 2019, several agreements were signed between the two nations covering various sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure development, and mining.
President Mnangagwa has actively engaged with Russian leadership to bolster bilateral relations. His participation at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum underscores a commitment to enhancing cooperation between the two countries.
Both nations view their alliance as an opportunity for economic development and security cooperation amid external pressures from Western countries.
