Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Lord Acton (Labour). It was answered on Monday, 2 November 2009.

Zimbabwe

Question: My Lords, my noble friend said that the noble Baroness, Lady Kinnock, was going to South Africa. We wish her very well in her diplomatic efforts. What is the current position of South Africa on the Zimbabwean situation? I do not ask this just to monitor how good the noble Baroness, Lady Kinnock, is at diplomacy.

Answer: My Lords, we will have to see the outcome of the discussions that are taking place in Mozambique on Thursday to know that. Certainly, President Zuma has made clear his rather more urgent requirements of the Government of Zimbabwe, more than perhaps his predecessor has done. There are those in SADC—Botswana is one and there are many others— who can see why a solution to Zimbabwe is in everybody’s interests in the region. I am pretty sure that my noble friend Lady Kinnock has arrived in South Africa by now—if she has not, she is on the longest flight that has ever taken place from the United Kingdom—and I hope that she will be using her influence in all quarters to ensure that we bring about the policy, not that we want to see, or that Europe wants to see, but that the world wants to see.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 714 c10
Session: 2008-09
Oral question type: Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Subjects: Politics and government Zimbabwe Southern African Development Community
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk