UK POLICY ON RELATIONS WITH ZIMBABWE

That this House condemns the attendance of Robert Mugabe at the United Nations conference on food security in Rome; notes that although there is a European Union travel ban upon him, there is a loophole in connection with a United Nations event; considers that consistency in dealing with the Mugabe regime is essential and that the UK has adopted a policy of Ministers not attending where Mugabe and his Ministers are present; further notes that the Prime Minister himself, last year, boycotted an EU-African Summit because Mugabe had been invited to attend; is concerned therefore that the Secretary of State for International Development is attending the Rome Conference; further notes that Mugabe and his team will ruthlessly use such official presence at this conference as part of the campaign in the forthcoming crucial second round election in Zimbabwe; and therefore calls on the UK not to attend the Rome Conference.