The South African government’s view on the resolution of the problems of Iraq were similar to those when it came to Zimbabwe, South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma explained on Friday.
She said that the SADC countries and the African Union “should look at it as well” referring to the situation in Zimbabwe, underscoring her government’s stance that any decision involving resolution of conflict in any state should be the product of multilateral and not unilateral action by any party or nation.
Dlamini-Zuma indicated that South Africa had its own views on the situation in Zimbabwe, but she was not certain whether these were shared by others in the sub-region.
At a breakfast briefing on Friday at Parliament, Dlamini-Zuma skirted the issue of the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe — including the fact that there were mounting questions about the fairness of recent parliamentary by-elections where the Movement for Democratic Change opposition were crushed in seats where they previously had overwhelming majorities.
To a question about the mounting pressure coming from non-government organisations in Zimbabwe for South Africa to play a bigger role in persuading President Robert Mugabe to reach a settlement with the opposition, Dlamini-Zuma responded by asking whether this meant that South Africa should “get the defence force involved” — clearly indicating that this was not an option.
She compared Zimbabwe with Iraq, saying that “Iraqis must solve the situation in Iraq [themselves] just as the Zimbabweans [must]”.
Asked if the situation in Zimbabwe was not very like military support provided by foreign powers in connection with the liberation struggle of South Africa’s now ruling party, the African National Congress, she argued that the struggle may have been supported around the world but it had been led by the people of South Africa themselves.
With regards to Iraq, she emphasised that the people of Iraq should be part of the solution to that country’s problem. Clearly indicating her government’s displeasure at the continuing presence of the big powers — the United States and the United Kingdon — in Iraq, she said that it had been understood “that nobody should linger when [deposed President] Saddam [Hussein] had gone”. – I-Net Bridge