By KUNA
Paris : Seven European Union Foreign Ministers, including the Slovenian Presidency, met late Monday in Paris to discuss the situation in Zimbabwe following the elections held there on March 29.
The ministers, from France, Britain, Italy, Holland, Slovakia, Spain and the Slovene rotating presidency of the EU, commended the turnout in the Zimbabwean vote that could end the decades-old monopoly on power of controversial president, Robert Mugabe, who is in his early eighties but reluctant to cede power.
Mugabe, who has openly clashed with Zimbabwes old colonial power, Britain, is blamed for destroying the economy and bringing his nation to the brink of ruin. Mugabe counters that he is being victimized by Britain and its friends.
“We commend the Zimbabweans who turned out to vote despite the difficult circumstances,” a joint statement said after the talks.
“We call on the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission to swiftly announce all official election results, especially the results of the presidential election, ” the statement added, reflecting growing dissatisfaction with the slowness to publish results amid accusations by the opposition that fraud is taking place. The Ministers said that they had addressed “the particular concern” over the situation in Zimbabwe.
“The future of the Zimbabwean people depends on the credibility and the transparency of the electoral process. We note with interest and admiration the reports from Zimbabwean civil society groups of specific results from polling stations around the country,” the statement issued here remarked.
“We look forward to working with democratically elected Zimbabwean authorities, who will be expected to improve Human rights and the rule of law for the good of the Zimbabwean people, the Ministers concluded.