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Smith, Rice and Komura discuss Zimbabwe crisis
Saturday, 28 June, 2008
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura and Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith shake hands at the G8 Foreign Ministers Meeting. (AAP)
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has discussed the crisis in Zimbabwe with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura.
The trio discussed Zimbabwe, where President Robert Mugabe defied world opinion to hold an election in which he was the only candidate yesterday, during tripartite talks in Japan.
Mr Smith said the issue was discussed with other nations such the the United Kingdom, Italy and France in conjunction with the G8 foreign ministers' meeting.
"I think everyone is very conscious that Mr Mugabe has no electoral or democratic legitimacy whatsoever and I think that everyone is waiting and putting as much diplomatic pressure as the international community can on the African states and on the Southern African Development Community states to bring pressure to bear on Mr Mugabe," Mr Smith told ABC Television.
"I think people are wanting to see the African nation states put pressure on Mr Mugabe.
"Hopefully this will see a political outcome which is much better than the years of the brutal Mugabe regime that we've seen."
Source: AAP/SBS
The trio discussed Zimbabwe, where President Robert Mugabe defied world opinion to hold an election in which he was the only candidate yesterday, during tripartite talks in Japan.
Mr Smith said the issue was discussed with other nations such the the United Kingdom, Italy and France in conjunction with the G8 foreign ministers' meeting.
"I think everyone is very conscious that Mr Mugabe has no electoral or democratic legitimacy whatsoever and I think that everyone is waiting and putting as much diplomatic pressure as the international community can on the African states and on the Southern African Development Community states to bring pressure to bear on Mr Mugabe," Mr Smith told ABC Television.
"I think people are wanting to see the African nation states put pressure on Mr Mugabe.
"Hopefully this will see a political outcome which is much better than the years of the brutal Mugabe regime that we've seen."
Source: AAP/SBS
