Folks,
It would appear that the row between Zimbabwe and Britain is under control
following the meeting between Cook and Mugabe yesterday afternoon in Cairo.

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   LONDON, April 3 (AFP) - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe bluntly
warned
Britain to mind its own business Monday, angered at the way British
ministers
are increasingly flailing his regime.
   "The UK is trying to teach us how to run our country and naturally we
take
exception to that," he told British television in Cairo on the sidelines of
the first summit of EU and African leaders, before meeting British Foreign
Secretary Robin Cook.
   "We are not a British colony any more. Britain has no right -- no right
at
all -- to try and suggest to the rest of the world that we are a failure.
   "If there is any country that should now be considered for sanctions it
is
Britain for interfering in the domestic affairs of Zimbabwe."
   Mugabe's barbed remarks were another broadside in the increasingly
bitter
war of words between Zimbabwe and its former colonial master. He has
previously called the British government "gay gangsters."
   Cook and Mugabe later shook hands for television cameras, before going
in
for a meeting together.
   A British embassy official gave no immediate details of their talks.
   Britain has been particularly critical of the Mugabe government over its
land-grab strategy, as well as president's desperation to cling to power,
despite a crippled economy, in the face of an emerging credible opposition.
   An opposition march Saturday was attacked by pro-government war veterans
which Britain's junior foreign minister Peter Hain said appeared to have
been
"orchestrated from on high."
   A spokesman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair said the weekend
events
were "worrying developments" and that the government would review
assistance
to Harare.
   "We are going to review all the assistance we give to the Mugabe regime
and
that review will take place in the coming days," the spokesman said.
   "What we want is a democratic Zimbabwe. Clearly it is difficult for us
to
give help and support when events are unfolding in this way."
   Earlier Monday, British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said he would call
on
Britain's EU partners next week to send election monitors to Zimbabwe to
ensure that the forthcoming legislative vote next month is free and fair.
   He told the BBC from Cairo that Zimbabweans had the right to choose
their
own government in a fair election.
   "I will be proposing next week in Brussels that the European Union
should
consider providing election monitors to make sure that not only elections
are
free and fair but are seen to be free and fair."
   Cook denied that there was anything "colonial" in Britain's attitude.
"All
countries around Zimbabwe do accept outside monitors, do accept having
their
elections observed by outsiders," he said.
   km/bb/js/hb

sidi sanneh

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