Botswana dismisses Herald report
The Botswana government has dismissed a report that appeared in the Zimbabwe government’s mouthpiece ,The Herald which claimed that Botswana has changed its stance and endorsed the Power sharing talks.
The Herald reported in its Monday edition:
Botswana’s Foreign Minister Phandu Skelemani, who represented the country at the summit after President Seretse Khama Ian Khama boycotted in protest against President Mugabe’s attendance, asked for more time to review the documents presented to him by the South African leader.
“The next day when the organ met again, he said he had spent the whole night reviewing the material and had not slept at all.
“He said his analysis of the situation was that Tsvangirai had misled them on Zimbabwe’s political processes.
“He said they had been misinformed and were of the opinion that Tsvangirai should accept the agreement that President Mbeki had facilitated as it was quite reasonable. His exact words were, ‘What more does Tsvangirai expect?’ But we cannot order him to accept the agreement, all we can do is try and persuade him to see sense’,” Skelemani said.
However Skelemani told Botswana media in Johannesburg that Botswana voiced its concerns on the role of Morgan Tsvangirai as prime minister and will continue to boycott events attended by Mugabe as president.
“We explained what we thought could be Mr Tsvangirai’s role as prime minister is one where he does not only have a job to do but the authority to run the ministries in the envisioned government of national unity.” Skelemani said.
Skelemani further said Botswana’s boycott of the summit was successful and has drawn the attention of the world to the problem in Zimbabwe and until an agreement is reached between the negotiating parties, Botswana would not attend any event where Mugabe attends in his capacity as the president of Zimbabwe.
Skelemani , further said he believed negotiations could be concluded within weeks.
“By all indications we are getting there. As soon as the parties, with the help of Mr Mbeki sit down after arriving back home, there is no reason why they can not reach an agreement by the end of August as not a lot remains if there is the spirit of give and take,” he said.
Meanwhile the Movement for Democratic Change says it is not opposed to the opening of parliament but will reject any moves by President Robert Mugabe to appoint a cabinet before an agreement is sealed.
“If he (Mugabe) goes further and appoints a cabinet, it will be against the letter and spirit of the MOU,” party spokesperson Tapiwa Mashakada told SABC News.
Posted by Mellisa Dube-Koketso
on August 20, 2008. Filed under Local News.
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