An interesting article by Nicholas Watt, of The Guardian,
Gordon Brown addresses the UN security council at the UN headquarters in New York.
Photographer: Stefan Rousseau/PA
Gordon Brown directly accused Robert Mugabe yesterday of stealing the presidential election, as Britain abandoned its softly, softly approach to Zimbabwe.
In a hardening of British rhetoric, the prime minister used an address to the UN security council to say Mugabe was thwarting the will of the Zimbabwean people. "No one thinks, having seen the results at the polling stations, that President Mugabe has won this election," Brown told a special UN debate on Africa. "A stolen election would not be a democratic election at all.
"So let a single clear message go out from here that we are and will be vigilant for democratic rights, that we stand solidly behind democracy and human rights for Zimbabwe, and we stand ready to support Zimbabweans build a better future."
Brown's remarks, to a meeting chaired by South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki and attended by other African leaders, were stronger than Britain's recent interventions.
There were signs too of a firmer stance from Mbeki, who has been criticised for his soft approach towards Mugabe. "The very fact that we have a mediation process like this on the political side is because we say there are things that have gone wrong," Mbeki said. "There are many wrong things with the politics of Zimbabwe."
Britain decided to harden its stance in response to what it regards as a changing mood among African leaders and a blunt intervention by UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon in yesterday's debate. He called for "decisive action" by Zimbabwe and its neighbours, and said he was prepared to send UN observers to monitor a second round in the election.
"The situation could deteriorate further with serious implications for the people of Zimbabwe," the UN secretary general said. "The Zimbabwean authorities and the countries of the region have insisted that these methods are for the region to resolve. But the international community continues to watch and wait for decisive action. The credibility of the democratic process in Africa could be at stake here."
He indicated he was not keen on a second round for fear it might be used by Mugabe to produce the result he failed to secure in the first round. But the UN was prepared to send monitors to ensure "a fair and transparent" election.
In a hardening of British rhetoric, the prime minister used an address to the UN security council to say Mugabe was thwarting the will of the Zimbabwean people. "No one thinks, having seen the results at the polling stations, that President Mugabe has won this election," Brown told a special UN debate on Africa. "A stolen election would not be a democratic election at all.
"So let a single clear message go out from here that we are and will be vigilant for democratic rights, that we stand solidly behind democracy and human rights for Zimbabwe, and we stand ready to support Zimbabweans build a better future."
Brown's remarks, to a meeting chaired by South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki and attended by other African leaders, were stronger than Britain's recent interventions.
There were signs too of a firmer stance from Mbeki, who has been criticised for his soft approach towards Mugabe. "The very fact that we have a mediation process like this on the political side is because we say there are things that have gone wrong," Mbeki said. "There are many wrong things with the politics of Zimbabwe."
Britain decided to harden its stance in response to what it regards as a changing mood among African leaders and a blunt intervention by UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon in yesterday's debate. He called for "decisive action" by Zimbabwe and its neighbours, and said he was prepared to send UN observers to monitor a second round in the election.
"The situation could deteriorate further with serious implications for the people of Zimbabwe," the UN secretary general said. "The Zimbabwean authorities and the countries of the region have insisted that these methods are for the region to resolve. But the international community continues to watch and wait for decisive action. The credibility of the democratic process in Africa could be at stake here."
He indicated he was not keen on a second round for fear it might be used by Mugabe to produce the result he failed to secure in the first round. But the UN was prepared to send monitors to ensure "a fair and transparent" election.
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