Annan ends his Zimbabwe mediation
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has withdrawn from efforts to mediate an end to Zimbabwe's crisis.
Tanzanian ex-President Benjamin Mkapa will assume the role of mediator - apparently with the blessing of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe.
Mr Annan hinted his proposed visit to Zimbabwe would now not happen.
The South African and UK governments have said recently Mr Annan could play a useful role in ending the economic and political crisis in Zimbabwe.
Mr Annan met Mr Mugabe on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Banjul, and said the Zimbabwean president had told him that Mr Mkapa "had been appointed a mediator".
"We both agreed that he should be given the time and space to do his work," Mr Annan told the AFP news agency.
Asked whether he still planned to visit Zimbabwe, Mr Annan responded: "You don't have two mediators."
UN 'key'
Mr Mugabe invited Mr Annan to visit Zimbabwe last year, after UN envoy Anna Tibaijuka issued a report criticising Zimbabwe's programme of housing demolitions and the removal of informal traders.
In May this year, South African President Thabo Mbeki said the UN was the key to resolving the political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe, and that Mr Annan's proposed visit could help normalise relations between Harare and the west.
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said he hoped Mr Annan's involvement would "achieve something constructive" for the people of Zimbabwe.
South Africa has expressed increasing concern about the regional implications of what is happening across its northern border.
Zimbabwe is in the grips of a desperate economic crisis with inflation now at more than 1,000% per annum and millions of Zimbabweans have fled the country - many ending up in South Africa.
Many in the west blame the crisis on President Robert Mugabe's policies. He in turn says western countries are sabotaging the economy to remove him from power because of his land reform programme.
Tanzanian ex-President Benjamin Mkapa will assume the role of mediator - apparently with the blessing of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe.
Mr Annan hinted his proposed visit to Zimbabwe would now not happen.
The South African and UK governments have said recently Mr Annan could play a useful role in ending the economic and political crisis in Zimbabwe.
Mr Annan met Mr Mugabe on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Banjul, and said the Zimbabwean president had told him that Mr Mkapa "had been appointed a mediator".
"We both agreed that he should be given the time and space to do his work," Mr Annan told the AFP news agency.
Asked whether he still planned to visit Zimbabwe, Mr Annan responded: "You don't have two mediators."
UN 'key'
Mr Mugabe invited Mr Annan to visit Zimbabwe last year, after UN envoy Anna Tibaijuka issued a report criticising Zimbabwe's programme of housing demolitions and the removal of informal traders.
In May this year, South African President Thabo Mbeki said the UN was the key to resolving the political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe, and that Mr Annan's proposed visit could help normalise relations between Harare and the west.
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said he hoped Mr Annan's involvement would "achieve something constructive" for the people of Zimbabwe.
South Africa has expressed increasing concern about the regional implications of what is happening across its northern border.
Zimbabwe is in the grips of a desperate economic crisis with inflation now at more than 1,000% per annum and millions of Zimbabweans have fled the country - many ending up in South Africa.
Many in the west blame the crisis on President Robert Mugabe's policies. He in turn says western countries are sabotaging the economy to remove him from power because of his land reform programme.
posted by TIUranta at 4:57 AM
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