January 22, 2003

DICTATOR CHIC:

Downing Street silent as France welcomes Mugabe (Philip Webster and Adam Sage, January 23, 2003, Times of London)
TONY BLAIR held back from attacking France last night as it prepared to invite President Mugabe of Zimbabwe to a summit in Paris.

Downing Street remained silent on the proposed visit, apparently to avoid a new row with France that could jeopardise both international consensus on war with Iraq and the renewal of EU sanctions against Zimbabwe--which include a travel ban on the country's rulers.

The Conservatives described the Prime Minister's stance as outrageous and dishonourable.

European foreign ministers will decide on Monday whether to renew sanctions against Zimbabwe, which expire on February 18, the day before the Franco-African summit is due to start in Paris.

President Chirac wants Mr Mugabe to attend, and a formal invitation has been prepared. If the sanctions are not renewed he would be able to come in any case, but Britain and most EU countries want the sanctions extended for another year. The price appears to be allowing an exemption to be made for the summit.


Is there a dictatorship anywhere that the French don't support? Posted by Orrin Judd at January 22, 2003 6:51 PM
Comments

Having lured him into the country, maybe they'll lock him up à la Pinochet?

Posted by: Bill Woods at January 22, 2003 7:56 PM

Ah, yes, Pinochet--him they hate because he was pro-West and a democrat.

Posted by: oj at January 22, 2003 10:40 PM

What's the translation of France into Latin?



I want to make France est delenda the banner of my new website.

Posted by: M Ali Choudhury at January 23, 2003 4:49 AM

Gaul--Ed Koch uses that too

Posted by: oj at January 23, 2003 8:58 AM

Gall.

Posted by: Barry Meislin at January 23, 2003 10:26 AM

The average person may not know who Mugabe is. However, hearing that France is hosting a dictator like Mugabe while trying to block the US from taking on Saddam doesn't make them look good at all

Posted by: AWW at January 23, 2003 12:26 PM

Regarding Pinochet.



He might have been 'pro-west' but 'military dictator' is a better description of him than 'democrat'. Sorry.

Posted by: Alastair at January 23, 2003 4:59 PM

Alastair:



He restored order to a lawless society, preserved existing institutions like the armed forces, Church and business and then handed over power voluntarily. That's a democrat in my book.

Posted by: oj at January 23, 2003 8:20 PM

Whatever his good points, the fact that he slaughtered a good number of his political opponents will always count against him.

Posted by: M Ali Choudhury at January 24, 2003 3:29 AM

Ali:



By which standard we should admire the Tsar for not slaughtering the Communists or the leaders of Weimar for yielding to Hitler? Isn't totalitarianism a high price to pay to avoid a bit of repression?

Posted by: oj at January 24, 2003 7:24 AM
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