COUNCIL OF
THE EUROPEAN UNION

PRESS RELEASE

2845th and 2846th Council meetings

General Affairs and External Relations

Luxembourg, 29 April 2008

ZIMBABWE - Council conclusions

The Council discussed the situation in Zimbabwe and adopted the following conclusions:

“1.    The Council closely follows the situation in Zimbabwe after the elections on 29 March and expresses its deep concern over the delay in announcing the result of the presidential elections as well as over acts of intimidation, human rights abuses, and violence.

2.    The EU considers unacceptable and unjustifiable that four weeks after the people of Zimbabwe exercised their fundamental democratic right, no results of the Presidential elections have yet been published. The EU calls for the results of the Presidential elections to be released immediately and to be a genuine reflection of the free and democratic will of the Zimbabwean people, as the delay raises serious concerns about the credibility of the process.

3.    The EU condemns the post-election violence and intimidation against Zimbabweans and calls for its immediate end. The EU considers that these serious incidents appear to be targeted and politically motivated attacks against supporters of democratic change. The EU also underlines that recent arrests have demonstrated that the Government of Zimbabwe is not committed to allowing the Electoral Commission in Zimbabwe to function as an independent institution.

4.    The EU notes that respect for freedom of assembly and of the media, as well as an atmosphere free from intimidation and violence, are crucial to the holding of free and fair elections, and calls for the electoral process to be completed in a context which respects these principles.

5.    The countries in the region, Southern African Development Community and the African Union have a crucial role and a responsibility to continue their engagement to resolve the current crisis in Zimbabwe. The EU shares the concern of the SADC about the situation and reiterates full support for its efforts to resolve the current crisis. In this context, the Council commends the holding of the extraordinary Summit in Lusaka.

6.    The Council remains concerned about the possible effects on the stability of the region as a consequence of the ongoing events and therefore calls upon SADC to engage with renewed determination with the Zimbabwean authorities to implement the outcome of the Lusaka Summit including the decision to remain actively involved till the end of the electoral process.

7.    The EU welcomes the statement by African Union Commission President Konaré reiterating the AU’s willingness to work in concert with all the parties concerned, SADC, and the international community to ensure the successful completion of the electoral process in Zimbabwe.

8.    The EU recalls that it does not supply or sell arms, related materials or equipment which could be used for internal repression in Zimbabwe. It encourages others to exercise similar restraint at this time by introducing a de facto moratorium on all such sales and welcomes actions which have already been taken in this respect.

9.    The EU will continue to closely monitor the situation and to explore further options for increasing pressure on those who direct and engage in state-sponsored violence and intimidation in the post-election period.

10.    The Council recalls its continued commitment to the people of Zimbabwe and emphasises that the EU remains the most important donor to Zimbabwe. The EU also wishes to confirm its willingness to continue to make use of any opportunity provided to engage in the dialogue with a democratically elected Government of Zimbabwe and, as soon as conditions allow, to begin working towards the resumption of full cooperation.”