Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa on Tuesday called for a fresh start in African countries’ negotiations with
Zimbabwe, calling it a “sinking Titanic” that needed help.
He did not mention the country by name but said member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) should “rise and lend a helping hand when
one of them should run into serious difficulties”.
But Mwanawasa, speaking during a five-day state visit to Namibia, said
powers outside the 14-member SADC should not get involved.
”One SADC country has sunk into such economic difficulties that it may be likened to a sinking Titanic whose passengers are jumping out in a bid to save their lives,” Mwanawasa said at a state banquet.
”Zambia has so far been an advocate of quiet diplomacy and continues to
believe in it, but the twist of events in the troubled country necessitates
the adoption of a new approach.”
He added: “I wish to state cate-gorically that the Zambian government
excludes the direct or indirect involvement of any foreign state which is not a SADC member, in its quest to dialogue with its counterpart in the troubled country.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Namibian Infor-mation Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah acknowledged the public outcry about the internal security situation in Zimbabwe and said the government would never condone violence. ”Namibia is, therefore, of the opinion that peace and stability in Zimbabwe is important to allow the citizens of that country to continue with their normal lives,” she told a press briefing.
„The Namibian Government is convinced that the Government of President Robert Mugabe and the people of that country have the capacity and the will to solve its own domestic problems without the interference of other countries,” the Minister added.
Zambia and Namibia and Zambia signed two agreements on political consultation between the Foreign Affairs Ministries of the two countries and the establishment of a dry port storage facility at Walvis Bay. Mwanawasa visited the Rössing Uranium Mine on Thursday before proceeding to Walvis Bay.
He visited Etale Fishing Company, met the Erongo business community and toured a Walvis Bay salt company.
Namibians again held a peaceful demonstration in near the Zimbabwean embassy last Friday after reports of brutal torture on MDC members became known.