{{Britain has been accused of abusing the European Union in a bid to stir a diplomatic row between Harare and Brussels to maintain the bloc’s interest in London’s purely bilateral dispute with Harare, senior diplomats and political analysts have said. }}
There is division in the EU over maintaining the sanctions regime, with Belgium last week calling for the lifting of sanctions on diamond mining firms in the wake of the widely- endorsed harmonised elections.
This, analysts said, had put Britain in a dilemma, forcing it to abuse the 27-member bloc in a bid to sustain group solidarity against Zimbabwe.
While Britain and its dominions of Australia and Canada have refused to endorse the harmonised elections, the EU was still to pronounce itself with its ambassador Mr Aldo Dell’Ariccia’s presence at President Mugabe’s inauguration a strong indicator of the bloc’s thinking on the elections.
Belgium’s foreign ministry spokesman, Mr Hendrik van de Velde, said as much as he called for the lifting of sanctions on diamond companies.
Last week, Mr Dell’Ariccia, sparked outrage after requesting a meeting with the country’s Constitutional and Electoral Court judges with a Western diplomat and political observers saying the envoy should save face by packing his bags.
The diplomat said the Government should summon Mr Dell’Ariccia as he had contravened the Vienna Conventions of 1961, that governs the conduct of diplomats in foreign countries.
Under Article 41 (1) of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961, “all persons enjoying privileges and immunities must respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State and they have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of that State.”
The same section states that “all business with the receiving State entrusted to the mission by the sending State shall be conducted with or through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the receiving State or such other State as may be agreed.”
The diplomat — who preferred anonymity for professional reasons — said it would be surprising if the Zimbabwean Government did not summon Ambassador Dell’Ariccia or take up the matter with the EU.
“It sounds unusual but if it is true that the EU ambassador indeed approached the Constitutional and Electoral courts through the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court to discuss election petitions pending before the same courts, then it is a clear and fragment violation of the Vienna Convention that governs our conduct.”
“If the ambassador had genuine concerns that required clarification, the normal thing to do was to use the diplomatic channel through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“His failure to do that raises questions and it would not be surprising to see him being summoned by the authorities and Zimbabwe taking up the matter with the EU.”
Ambassador Dell’Ariccia wrote to Chief Registrar Mr Walter Chikwanha, requesting that he facilitates a meeting between members of the Constitutional and Electoral Courts and an EU delegation.
The diplomat cited September 3, 4 and 6 this year as the dates when the delegation was to be available for the meeting and provided a list of his delegation that included two “consultants” Mr Armin Rabitsch an election expert from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and Ms Gaelle Deriaz, a legal expert from France.
Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku directed Mr Chikwanha to turn down the request.
At the same time, another EU delegation, led by Mr Giles Entikap, met Zanu-PF secretary for legal affairs Cde Patrick Chinamasa, disguised as experts on electoral issues before finally asking the outgoing Justice and Legal Affairs Minister to clear a meeting of the group with Constitutional and Electoral judges.
{herald}
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