Post date: Aug 05, 2012 2:21:3 PM
In July, the European Union lifted curbs on EU aid to Zimbabwe but EU foreign ministers agreed that sanctions on President Robert Mugabe and his inner circle would remain in place and that a broader easing of sanctions would depend on a referendum on constitutional changes due this year being "peaceful and credible".
After a meeting with former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda, in Zambia's capital Lusaka, Mugabe told journalists the EU was going down the same path as Britain.
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, on a state visit to neighbouring Zambia, lashes out at conditions set for lifting European Union sanctions on his country.
LUSAKA, ZAMBIA ( AUGUST 03, 2012) (REUTERS) - Zimbabwe's President, Robert Mugabe, accused the European Union (EU) of following Britain's lead in punishing his country with sanctions, during a state visit to neighbouring Zambia on Friday (August 3).
"EU, no EU, as he said, they are following the British and the British would want to punish us for taking our land back, that's all," Mugabe said.
The Zimbabwean President accused the EU of taking the hard line because of continued tension with Britain dating back to the Blair government.
"It's the British who should pay you the market price of your farms. That's what Blair didn't want and he has not told the world that. He has told them lies and he is a liar as you know, he and Bush they lied on Iraq, in order to invade Iraq. So what does he tell the world? That it is because Mugabe and his regime are violators of human rights, of the rule of law," Mugabe added.
Zambia's founding President, Kenneth Kaunda, supported President Mugabe's view.
"Don't demonize Robert Gabriel Mugabe. He and Margaret Thatcher agreed on how to go about that problem which was brought about by the British colonialists," he told journalists.
Mugabe also met with Zambian President Michael Sata during his visit to Lusaka.
Zimbabwe's President will officially open a trade and agriculture exhibition in Zambia this weekend.