Merkel Takes Up Mugabe Issue at Lisbon Summit
In the end it was German Chancellor Angela Merkel who addressed the elephant in the room.
Speaking to European and African leaders in Portugal yesterday, it was left to Merkel to confront human rights abuses in Zimbabwe, putting President Robert Mugabe under the spotlight at a summit which has been overshadowed by the despot's presence.
Gordon Brown boycotted the meeting in Lisbon, the first European Union-Africa summit in seven years, because a ban on Mugabe traveling to Europe was lifted to allow him to be there.
Merkel said that the world could not stand by while human rights were 'trampled underfoot'.
She added: 'I appreciate that some African states have tried to solve the crisis in Zimbabwe, but time is running out. The situation of Zimbabwe is damaging the image of the new Africa.'
Speaking to European and African leaders in Portugal yesterday, it was left to Merkel to confront human rights abuses in Zimbabwe, putting President Robert Mugabe under the spotlight at a summit which has been overshadowed by the despot's presence.
Gordon Brown boycotted the meeting in Lisbon, the first European Union-Africa summit in seven years, because a ban on Mugabe traveling to Europe was lifted to allow him to be there.
Merkel said that the world could not stand by while human rights were 'trampled underfoot'.
She added: 'I appreciate that some African states have tried to solve the crisis in Zimbabwe, but time is running out. The situation of Zimbabwe is damaging the image of the new Africa.'
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