Ministro dos Negocios Estrangeiros Britanico reage a prisao de diplomatas

MILIBAND'S ZIMBABWE STATEMENT IN FULL
Published 05 Jun 2008 - 17:14
By PA Reporter

This is the text of Foreign Secretary David Miliband's statement about today's incident in Zimbabwe during which British diplomats were detained at a police roadblock:
"I've just spoken on the telephone to our High Commissioner in Harare Andrew Pocock about the incident that some of you have been reporting today.
"I can confirm that four people were held at a roadblock in Zimbabwe . They were going about their business, properly registered as diplomats.
"I'm pleased to say that they are all safe and sound and unharmed and there was no violence involved in the incident.
"But obviously it's a serious incident and one we have to take seriously.
"I think that it gives us a window into the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans, because this sort of intimidation is something that is suffered daily, especially by those who are working with opposition groups.
"It's a window into lives that in some cases are marked by brutal intimidation, by torture and, in 53 cases that have been documented over the last few weeks, by death.
"And I think that's why the message that needs to go out today is a very strong one: that the argument in Zimbabwe today is not between Zimbabwe and Britain , it's about two different visions for the future of Zimbabwe .
"It's very important that the international community plays its role by ensuring that for the election on June 27 there are international monitors, properly accredited, who are able to ensure that despite the ravages in Zimbabwe at the moment - ravages economically, socially and politically - despite those ravages there is an election that allows the democratic will of the Zimbabwean people to be heard loud and to be heard clear.
"That's certainly what we will be working for over the next few weeks."
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