BRUSSELS, Belgium — The European Union on Monday increased the pressure on Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe to share power with opposition parties, adding more officials and companies that support him to an EU blacklist.
BRUSSELS, Belgium — The European Union on Monday increased the pressure on Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe to share power with opposition parties, adding more officials and companies that support him to an EU blacklist. An extra 26 officials and 36 companies were added to a visa and assets freeze meant to isolate Mugabe’s regime. The blacklist now totals 203 people and 40 entities that are kept out of EU nations. The EU’s 27 foreign ministers said the people and companies on the list "are actively associated with the violence or human rights infringements of the (Mugabe) regime." In South Africa, regional leaders were meeting to try to break a deadlock over the enactment of a power-sharing pact Mugabe signed with opposition parties last year. British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said a solution to the crisis remains a top priority for European nations. "We continue to be absolutely resolute in supporting the people of Zimbabwe in their call for change," Miliband added. The EU ministers urged Mugabe to comply with and condemned the "ongoing violations of human rights" of those who are speaking out against Mugabe’s iron-fisted rule. The foreign ministers also said they were increasingly worried over attempts by Zimbabwe to trade illegal diamonds to support his government and called for an international investigation. Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai failed to resolve differences during talks a week ago. Mugabe says any differences can be worked out after a new government is created, while Tsvangirai says disagreements be resolved beforehand. The opposition insists Cabinet seats must be fairly distributed. Mugabe has ruled his country since its 1980 independence from Britain and has refused to leave office following disputed elections last March. ______ Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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