The United States on Friday demanded an inquiry, an explanation and an apology from Zimbabwe, saying one of its diplomats was questioned in Harare in a ”serious breach” of international law.
The latest incident in poisoned relations between Washington and President Robert Mugabe’s government took place on Thursday, State Department representative Richard Boucher said in a statement issued here.
”On February 13, police in a Harare suburb detained and questioned a US diplomat for approximately one hour.
”This incident marks a serious breach of Zimbabwe’s obligations under international law to protect diplomatic privileges and protections.”
Boucher said the Zimbabwean ambassador to Washington had been called into the State Department to ”protest this incident and to demand an inquiry, explanation, and apology.”
”This is the third time in the past year that Zimbabwean government officials or supporters have detained, robbed, threatened or interfered with US diplomats performing official duties.”
”In this incident, the police knew of our diplomat’s status yet chose to detain and question her anyway.”
Boucher said that the incident took place after police violently broke up a gathering of Zimbabweans and diplomats wanting to attend a public meeting on the country’s political crisis.
”We look to the government of Zimbabwe to conduct a thorough investigation of the detention and questioning of our diplomat and to provide us with a prompt and thorough explanation,” he said.
The United States has fired frequent, harsh criticism Mugabe’s way in recent months, charging him with running the country to ruin.
On Wednesday, Secretary of State Colin Powell said Mugabe had created a disaster ”in every way imaginable with respect to the economy, agriculture, its political system and the human rights situation”.
Washington accused Mugabe over rigging an election last year and imposed travel and other sanctions against top government leaders. – Sapa-AFP