Belgium Calls For Lifting of Sanction on Zimbabwe Miner
September 09, 13
 Diamond miners in the Marange area. |
EU governments are fighting to interpret an agreement by member states’ foreign ministers in February to lift sanctions on ZMDC within a month of the presidential election held on July 31 unless EU governments unanimously agreed the vote was not "peaceful, transparent and credible."
Among the member states fighting the Belgian demand for the lifting of sanctions is Britain which does not want to be seen as rewarding President Robert Mugabe whose victory was accompanied by many claims of vote-rigging.
Mugabe overwhelmingly won the presidential election but it was condemned as a "huge fraud" by his main rival Morgan Tsvangirai, who served as prime minister in the previous coalition government.
The EU has said it has "serious concerns" regarding the alleged election irregularities.
Belgium says that since the EU has not refused to recognize the election results, the February agreement must stand and sanctions on ZMDC removed.
Belgium's interpretation of the issue is not shared by all EU officials and discussions are going on about what steps should be taken.
However unwelcome the move would be to Britain, some European diplomats say it is inevitable the bloc will have to lift sanctions on ZMDC in line with the February agreement. "At the end of the day, we have to delist ZMDC," a diplomat from one EU country told Reuters.
ZMDC operates five joint-venture mines in the Marange diamond areas, producing eight million carats last year and generating $685 million in exports, according to the state-owned Herald newspaper.
Belgium says lifting EU sanctions on ZMDC would increase Zimbabwe's tax revenues by $400 million a year. The move would also bring more business activity to Antwerp, the world main rough and polished diamond center.