Zimbabwe: Envoys Present Their Credentials to President

18 April 2002
The Herald (Harare)
By Herald Reporter

TWO envoys yesterday presented their credentials to President Mugabe at State House.

The two are Brigadier Yousef Rajab Radii, the new Ambassador of Palestine, and incoming Mozambican High Commissioner to Zimbabwe, Mr Julio Goncalo Braga.

Speaking to reporters after presenting his credentials, Brig Radii expressed gratitude to Africans, and in particular to President Mugabe, for the political, diplomatic and moral support being rendered to the people of Palestine.

He said he did not believe that the Americans and the Israeli government would achieve peace in the Middle East.

"I believe that this peace agreement is below zero. I don't think that we can make peace with this (Israeli) Prime Minister (Mr Ariel Sharon).

"This Prime Minister has no political programme. What he has is only murder, killings and destroying. Once he said President Arafat is irrelevant and he is isolating him and he is asking him to do more and the Americans are asking Mr Arafat to do more.

"But you find they are destroying all the infrastructure, they are destroying the ministries . . . they are looting everything and they are destroying the security forces. And at the end they say Mr Arafat is responsible."

The incoming Palestinian envoy congratulated Zimbab-we on attaining 22 years of independence.

Brig Radii, a former Palestinian ambassador to China, Mongolia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Uganda and Kenya, replaces Cde Ali Halimeh.

Cde Halimeh left Harare to represent Palestine in Dublin, Ireland, in January after serving as ambassador here for 19 years, during which time he was Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.

Mr Braga, who replaces Mr Antonio Sumbana told reporters that Mozambique and Zimbabwe needed to continue strengthening their long-standing relationship.

He said the emphasis now should be on improving and cementing business ties through exchanging trade delegations.

Mr Braga has served as ambassador to the then German Democratic Republic and was also accredited to the then Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary. He has been Mozambique's ambassador to Cuba since 1996.

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