23 September 2002
E&OE……………………………
KOINANGE:
Prime Minister you’re clearly very disappointed in this decision today. Tell us how you feel.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think Zimbabwe’s behaviour warranted full suspension from the Commonwealth with effect from today and whilst we’re all concerned about her behaviour I think that should have been the response today. I think that would have been better for the Commonwealth’s credibility.
KOINANGE:
Speaking of the Commonwealth’s credibility people are going to come up and say now the Commonwealth is really a toothless bulldog. They can’t even agree in a troika, three people. They can’t even agree. What do you think (inaudible) out there.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think the Commonwealth has gone through difficulties like this in the past and survived and I think it will in the future. But I’m concerned about the Commonwealth values and one of those values is a democratic process and we have this difficulty because the last election in Zimbabwe was not carried out in an open democratic fashion. I mean that is the main concern and there’s overwhelming evidence of that coming from a report that included many African countries.
KOINANGE:
You have been very outspoken about Zimbabwe of late. Clearly Mugabe is the winner today because nothing was done. The (inaudible) sanctions continue. Another six months and then six months later probably another six months. He’s clearly the winner today.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well quite clearly his people haven’t done well out of today but in the long run I think if you continue to stick to the principle of protecting the democratic values of the Commonwealth that is the right course of action to take. But the question whether individual countries impose sanctions on Zimbabwe is a matter of those individual countries. The troika had no authority to deal with that. That was never something that was on our agenda. That is a matter for individual government action.
KOINANGE:
Do you think President Mugabe will finally get the message or his shunning this meeting today will mean he can go on, he can carry on with his fast-track land acquisition programme?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, once again that is a separate issue, the land acquisition. That’s not within the authority of the troika. But so far Mugabe has been quite indifferent to Commonwealth concern and that is why I thought the right action would have been for the Commonwealth to have suspended Zimbabwe fully from its membership.
KOINANGE:
Two of the architects of NEPAD were present today. What does this do to the future of NEPAD?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well that really is a matter for the contributors to NEPAD. That’s a question you should be directing to the British Prime Minister or the Canadian Prime Minister or some of the other countries, rather than for me.
KOINANGE:
But clearly the rest of the world will be saying that if you can’t govern yourselves, if you can’t govern your peers this thing is dead in the water before it even begins.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well one of the reasons why I’ve taken the view that I have is that I think it is important for all countries to be encouraged to practice good governance and to maintain a respect for Commonwealth democratic values. I think they are important and the Commonwealth has been very successful. Not least of course some years ago in relation to South Africa itself in upholding democratic values. Nigeria the very country in which we meet, Pakistan, Fiji, all countries that were encouraged or are in the process of being encouraged by the Commonwealth back into good democratic practice. I think the same view should be taken in the case of Zimbabwe.
KOINANGE:
Bottom line Prime Minister. You flew 29 hours to get here for this very disappointing decision. You’re not very happy are you?
PRIME MINISTER:
I’ve been in politics a long time. I did argue a point of view that I think is right and I think sticking up for the democratic values of the Commonwealth is always very important and I wouldn’t have done it differently.
KOINANGE:
And we asked Secretary General Don McKinnon, about the differences in the Commonwealth. They happen all the time, people disagree all the time. Do you agree or…?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well people do disagree over time and I think the argument I put is correct and I think people want the democratic values of the Commonwealth defended.
KOINANGE:
Thank you very much.
[Ends]