Greece Says It Will Work Toward Lifting EU Sanctions Against Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe President Mugabe welcomes the incoming Greece ambassador to Zimbabwe Leonidas Contovounesios at State House. (Photo: Tawanda Mudimu), a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Greece keen on Zim sanctions removal

November 28, 2013
Takunda Maodza Assistant News Editor
Zimbabwe Herald

GREECE says it will work towards the removal of EU sanctions on Zimbabwe when it assumes the 27-member bloc’s presidency next year as the illegal embargo, which has strangled the economy, is not justified.

It assumes the rotating EU presidency in January next year taking over from Lithuania.
In an interview with the media soon after presenting his credentials to President Mugabe at State House today, the incoming Greek ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Leonidas Contovounesios said it was his country’s top priority to scrap off sanctions while pledging to strengthen bilateral and economic cooperation between Harare and Anthens.

“On the question of sanctions, which His Excellency the President brought up, we are working to eradicate them. We aspire that they will be lifted during the upcoming Greek presidency which starts in January 2014. We are doing progress on that…we have to support our case. The Greek community (living in Zimbabwe) signed a petition to lift sanctions so we cannot be against our own people,” he said.

Ambassador Contovounesios acknowledged divisions within the EU over the removal of the illegal sanctions saying some members wanted them removed but others were reluctant.

The sanctions, which have suffocated the economy causing suffering on ordinary Zimbabweans, were imposed at the instigation of the US, Britain and their allies after the country embarked on the land reform to address historical landownership imbalances.

Incoming Cuban ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Elio Savon and Mr Ahmed Khalid Aljeeran of Kuwait also presented their credentials to President Mugabe yesterday.

Ambassador Aljeeran pledged to foster economic relations between Zimbabwe and Kuwait including the resumption of the Kuwait Fund of Economic Development which will see low interest loans being extended to the country.

Ambassador Savon intends to improve and diversify the existing cordial relations between Cuba and Zimbabwe.