World

Zimbabwe talks with Europe 'has gone well'

by mudricky | September 12, 2009 at 05:59 am

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Zimbabwe has held talks in Harare with European officials for the first time in seven years.

President Robert Mugabe has called for international sanctions to be lifted and has blamed them on the demise of his country.

ZIMBABWE SANCTIONS TO DATE:

EU: 2002 to present - Assets freeze and travel ban on some Mugabe allies, arms-sale ban

US: 2003 to present - Trade ban against 250 Zimbabwean individuals and 17 companies

Other countries - Canada, Australia and UK among nations to have imposed their own targeted sanctions

Sources: EU, Reuters, US treasury, UK Foreign Office

President Robert Mugabe says Zimbabwe's first high-level talks with top EU officials in seven years went well.

After the talks, in Harare, he again called for international sanctions imposed since disputed presidential election in 2002 to be lifted.

The EU team also praised the meeting but indicated it was not appropriate yet for sanctions to end and complained about the slow pace of reforms.

The EU team is also due to meet PM Morgan Tsvangirai on its visit.