United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe Christopher Dell has been caught trespassing in Harare, Zimbabwe’s Herald Online reported on Friday.
It said security forces found him entering a restricted security zone in the National Botanical Gardens in Harare.
Zimbabwean authorities regarded Dell’s actions as a deliberate attempt to provoke a diplomatic incident.
”Such action was taken in a calculated disregard of the rules governing relations between states and was clearly intended to provoke an unwarranted diplomatic incident,” Zimbabwe’s foreign ministry said.
The Herald said Zimbabwe had lodged a formal protest with the US
embassy in Harare over Dell’s conduct.
The incident happened on Monday at 4.30pm when Dell deliberately ignored ”No entry security zone” signs posted in the vicinity of the restricted security area.
The foreign ministry said he ”purposefully” proceeded to the security zone.
Dell would have continued to enter the security installations had members of the presidential guard not stopped him.
Information and Publicity Secretary George Charamba said the US envoy should count his blessings.
”The ambassador must consider himself very lucky that he is dealing with a professional army that the Zimbabwe National Army is,” Charamba said.
”Elsewhere, and definitely in America, he would have been a dead man. His adventure is really dangerous.” – AFP
