Botswana to cut Diplomatic ties with Zimbabwe

The government of Botswana will cut diplomatic ties with Zimbabwe within six months if the proposed powersharing deal with the MDC collapses,Metro has established.

Addressing Botswana’s Parliament Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation minister, Phandu Skelemani hinted on the possible development telling the Assembly that if the deal collapses in the next six months, his government will “go back to square one” by not recognising Mugabe as president nor his government.

“Consequent to this allegation, Botswana was shocked by the baseless and absurd charges that were levelled at Botswana by authorities in Zimbabwe at the extraordinary meeting of the Interstate Defence and Security Committee of the Organ Troika held in Maputo on November 5 2008.

“The allegations that the government of Botswana would wish to train foreign nationals on its territory to effect regime change is ridiculous and all who are aware of Botswana’s longstanding commitment to the principles of good neighbourliness, non-interference in the internal affairs of others, and peaceful resolution of disputes in our region and elsewhere would no doubt attest to this,” Skelemani said.

Meanwhile state media in Zimbabwe is reporting that a draft of the Constitutional Amendment Number 19 Bill has been completed and has been sent to the facilitator, former South African president Thabo Mbeki’s legal team.

“Draft Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 19 has been completed and sent to the mediator in South Africa after scrutiny by the parties concerned,” ZANU PF’s Sikhanyiso Ndlovu reportedly told church leaders on Monday.
However Ndlovu claimed that Mugabe has appoint a Cabinet first before the Bill is passed in Parliament.

“Constitutional Amendment Number 19 cannot be done right away without a Cabinet. The Legal and Constitutional Affairs Ministry is with the MDC-T and the minister must steer the Bill at all the stages. A Bill cannot go to Parliament if it is not approved by Cabinet,” Ndlovu said.

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Posted by Mellisa Dube-Koketso on November 19, 2008. Filed under Local News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.