More pressure on Mugabe as Russia backs sanctions

The G8 have signalled at last that their patience with Mbeki and his never ending attempts to give Mugabe one last chance has snapped and have called for the world to unite against the Zimbabwean dictator, with even Russia agreeing to support sanctions against the regime.

Diplomats said an "African solution" was not working, and conditions in Zimbabwe were now so bad that "an international solution" was needed.

This is a testament to Mbeki's failure to force Mugabe to any kind of compromise which has resulted in the international community rebuking his stance so publicly.

Russia and Italy dropped their reservations about sanctions after strong pressure from Gordon Brown, who was backed by the US President, George Bush, and France's Nicolas Sarkozy.

Russia's switch of sides could prove pivotal. It leaves China isolated among the permanent members of the UN Security Council and hopes are rising that Beijing will join the international condemnation of the Mugabe regime when the United States tables a United Nations resolution in the next few days.

Although the European Union has imposed sanctions, UN action has been blocked by Russia and China. Financial sanctions would prevent the ruling elite moving money in or out of Zimbabwe from non-EU nations such as Switzerland, and impose a wider travel ban on them and their relatives.

After Russia and Italy dropped their opposition to sanctions, the G8 summit approved a statement calling for the UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, to appoint a special envoy to report on the political, humanitarian, human rights and security situation in Zimbabwe and to support regional efforts to mediate between political parties. Crucially, it also added: "We will take further steps, inter alia introducing financial and other measures against those individuals responsible for violence."

One can only hope that this is the final writing on the wall for Mugabe and his thugs. China, with the Olympics due to start soon, will surely not dare to issue any veto when this goes before the UN.

At that point Mugabe will have the entire world against him and even South Africa will have to obey the sanctions and stop propping up this immoral and illegal regime.

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Tags: G8, Zimbabwe, Mugabe, Mbeki, South Africa, Bush, Brown, sanctions