WORLDWIDE ISSUES:"ZIMBABWEANS SHOULD be allowed to choose their future freely," European Union leaders affirmed yesterday, in a strong declaration on the elections which warned of the union's willingness to increase sanctions against individuals responsible for violence.
The statement referred to violence, intimidation and curbs on activities of NGOs, and regretted the refusal of the regime of President Robert Mugabe to allow EU monitors to supervise the second round of the presidential elections on June 27th. It urged the South African Development Community to deploy observers promptly.
The summit backed admission of Slovakia to the euro zone from January 2009. The EU also threatened Sudanese officials with more sanctions unless Sudan agrees to co-operate on war crimes with the International Criminal Court.
Overcoming human rights-based reservations by Sweden and the Czech Republic to the final lifting of sanctions against Cuba, the summit agreed to make permanent a 2005 decision to end the isolation of the island. Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin expressed the hope the move would contribute to continuing democratisation.
Leaders called on the Burmese authorities to remove all restrictions on the distribution of humanitarian aid in the wake of Cyclone Nargis, and reiterated their desire to see a genuine transition to democracy in the country.
The summit also backed plans for closer ties to the union's eastern neighbours. The move follows more ambitious plans for the Mediterranean region and will see new areas of co-operation with Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Belarus can share in the process if it undertakes domestic reform.
