Hague calls for South Africa to turn the screw on Mugabe

Following the decision of the MDC to withdraw from Zimbabwe's elections, William Hague has called for the international community to do five things:

1. Withhold recognition of the Harare Government
2. Widen EU sanctions on members of the regime, and enforcing them properly
3. Debate Zimbabwe at the UN Security Council and calling for a UN Commission of Inquiry into the grotesque abuses of human rights, with a view to future action by the International Criminal Court (see Ben Rogers on this)
4. Maintain the pressure on Southern African countries to cease to prop up a regime disgracing their region (Dan Lewis notes that S Africa could turn Zimbabwe's power off).
5. Prepare an international rescue programme for when Mugabe is gone (William Hague has written on this subject for ConservativeHome).

The Shadow Foreign Secretary concluded: “This is a criminal government, and should now be treated as such.”

Comments

[Old Hack]

As a matter of extreme urgency, following the UN meeting tomorrow, David Milliband and Condy Rice should go together to Southern Africa and meet firstly with SADC governments around Zimbabwe, then confront Thabo Mbeki.

They should put it to Mbeki in no uncertain terms that the era of quiet diplomacy about South Africa's 'quiet diplomacy' is over. They should start to consider a series of actions that would make it abundantly plain to Mbeki that the South African government's supine attitude towards Mugabe will not be tolerated and that there will be consequences for South Africa if no action is taken.

Whatever we can do, up to and including an exercise in 'regime change' by military force should be considered.

[Alan S]

Has Mandela said anything about Mugabe?

[Stone age tory]

COMMENT OVERWRITTEN.

[Raj]

Has Mandela said anything about Mugabe?

Since at least 2000 - and nothing good about the tyrant.

Just google "Mandela Mugabe".

[Patrick Ratnaraja]

Remember Mandela was the leader of a Terrorist group which killed inncocent white people in South Africa. Why do you think Mandel will not support Mugabe? Of course He will support Mugabe to kill innocent white farmers and others.

[Raj]

Why do you think Mandel will not support Mugabe?

Mandela doesn't support Mugabe from what I can see - as I said google the two names.

[johnC]

Missing from the above list is a pledge not to insist on the return of asylum seekers to Zimbabwe. As recently as March our wonderful government was insisting that 1,000 failed Zimbabwean asylum seekers should return to Comrade Bob's paradise insisting that they had nothing to fear and that all would be sweetness and light on their return. I hope that Milipede has made his views on Zimbabwe known to the immigration authorities in the Home Office.