Posted on 07/18/2002 3:18:06 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
PRESIDENT Mugabe, who left the country on Sunday, is expected to meet Venezuelan officials to avert a possible fuel shortage amid reports that pressure is mounting on Libya to cut fuel supplies to Zimbabwe. John Corrie, the honorary president of the 92-nation Africa-Caribbean-Pacific - European Union (EU) Joint Parliamentary Assembly, yesterday said the EU parliament would approach Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan president, through developed countries which buy fuel from Libya.
"We know that Gaddafi is the only person who is in support of Mugabe's land reform programme which is completely destroying your country," said Corrie from Scotland. "And he is the only person who has agreed to accept your currency for fuel. But that will create a huge deficit for your future generations - that is mortgaging the country." The State media said Mugabe left for a week-long state visit to Cuba but sources within the government said he might make a surprise visit to Venezuela, a member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec).
Venezuelan Energy and Mines Minister, Alvaro Silva Calderon, was appointed the Opec secretary-general last month. "The fuel situation is getting worse and with the Libyans reportedly turning a cold shoulder after amassing land in Zimbabwe, there is a pressing need to take the begging bowl to other oil-producing countries like Venezuela to avert the crisis," said the source. "Why would the President honestly spend a week in Cuba when he has been there before?" he said. Last week, parts of the country were hit by fuel shortages triggered by hoarding amid reports that the commodity was in short supply.
Zimbabwe has been facing perennial fuel shortages since senior executives at the State-owned National Oil Company of Zimbabwe were alleged to have misappropriated millions of dollars a few years ago. The situation was further compounded by the shortage of foreign currency as many countries have stopped doing business with Zimbabwe, now regarded as a rogue state. George Charamba and Jonathan Moyo, the government spokesmen, could not be reached for comment on Mugabe's itinerary. Charamba was said to be travelling with Mugabe while Moyo was said to be out of town. Sources within the government said pressure was mounting on Libya - which provides 70 percent of the country's fuel requirements - to cut the supplies.
Last week, the EU parliament passed a resolution to urge "Libya and other states to end material support that reinforces President Mugabe's intransigence". "Because of the Lockerbie issue and our approach Gaddafi will give in. We are asking all developed countries which buy fuel from Libya to pressurise it to stop trading with your country otherwise it will risk their orders," said Corrie. With the maverick Libyan leader set to become a member of the New Partnership for Africa's Development, relations with Zimbabwe are expected to turn icy as he could sign up for a peer review arrangement.
This would see African leaders being subjected to scrutiny on issues of democracy, good governance and accountability.
"Teacher, Anti-colonialist, Friend of Cuba" - Mugabe arrives in Havana - Good LINKS to Gadaafi's grip on Zimbabwe.
EU hoping for developing world summit to agree on free trade talks - Castro and Mugabe take a pass
Zimbabwe court rules seizing of white-owned land legal - A look at the stolen election and the unfolding aftermath.
How long, oh Lord? This is such unbelievable insanity, but then no wonder Mugabe would try to turn to Castro, another whackjob communist, to prop him up.
(Feb 9, 2000) Cuban MDs Denied Asylum in Venezuela, Venezuela, US Ally 10 Years Ago Now In Castro Camp-- CARACAS, Feb 9 (Reuters) ***Venezuela's pro-Castro government denied two Cuban doctors asylum on Wednesday, arguing that the pair were economic exiles who were not suffering persecution in their home country.***
(July 8, 2000)***Two Cuban doctors who languished for more than a month in a Zimbabwe prison after seeking political asylum left the country Friday on a commercial jet for Stockholm, Sweden, according to diplomatic and U.S. government sources.------ Air France crew members refused to board the doctors after the pair managed to write a note saying they were being ``kidnapped.''--- South African authorities sent them back to Zimbabwe, where they were imprisoned. An end to their saga appeared imminent when the United States offered to take the doctors in. Diplomats planned to fly the Cubans to Nairobi, Kenya, where INS officials planned to process paperwork and fly the doctors to the United States. But a last-ditch communique from Castro blocked the plans, officials said. Castro asked Mugabe, once a leading African communist, to ship the doctors anywhere in the world -- except the United States.***
BUMP!
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