23 March 2007
Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad has urged all parties in Zimbabwe to aim for a peaceful solution to the economic and political crisis in the country.
Earlier this week, South Africa's Cabinet reiterated its concerns about the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe, and reaffirmed the government position that only dialogue among the main political protagonists could help bring about a lasting solution to Zimbabwe's situation.
"It was evident that many of the parties and civil society had welcomed the call of dialogue and national reconciliation, and the violence in the last week must not be allowed to stop this process," Pahad told journalists in Pretoria on Friday.
Despite the apparent silence from South Africa, Pahad explained, the country has been working tirelessly to help Zimbabwe find a solution to its problems, working both individually and through the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU).
He challenged those governments that criticised South Africa for its "constructive diplomacy" to come forward with suggestions.
Pahad explained that South Africa's ambassador to Zimbabwe, Jerry Ndou, was in touch with all the parties there and that he had recently met with the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. He added that dialogue between the two parties was the only solution to that country’s problems.
"We want Zimbabweans to work to come up with a roadmap [to peace] that South Africa, the SADC and the AU can assist to implement," he said.
Pahad further suggested that had Africa, Europe and the United States played a more cooperative role earlier, the current crisis could have been avoided.
"If we had worked together to deal with the situation in Zimbabwe, the door would not have been shut. [The US and Europe] would have been able to hold talks with Zimbabweans and to express their views and concerns."
Source: BuaNews
