UK imposes Zimbabwe arms ban

Robin Cook: Rule of law must return to Zimbabwe

Britain is to refuse all new applications for arms and military equipment to be exported to Zimbabwe as part of its reaction to continuing violence in the country.

The supply of 450 Land Rovers to the Zimbabwean police has also been put on hold until land occupations end, Foreign Secretary Robin Cook told MPs in a House of Commons statement.

There is continuing violence in Zimbabwe

Mr Cook said Britain nor any other donor would fund a programme of land reform in Zimbabwe unless it is conducted within the rule of law.

And he said any programme must also be based on a fair price to farmers and would also need to reduce poverty among the rural poor who have no land.

The sanctions were welcomed by shadow foreign secretary Francis Maude, but he also called for Britain to suspend all aid to Zimbabwe.

He said: "Everyone accepts that land reform is important but this is not about land - this is about an ageing despot clinging desperately to power."

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Menzies Campbell said Zimbabwe's neighbours, such as South Africa, would exercise the greatest influence over President Mugabe as their economies felt the adverse effects of instability in the region.

UK arms exports to Zimbabwe

Sub-machine-guns and ammunition

Helicopter and aircraft spare parts

Land Rovers to Zimbabwean police

Cargo and utility vehicles

Communications equipment

Mr Cook said the Zimbabwean government was attempting to create a crisis over land reform in order to secure its re-election.

And he said that amid international concern over events Zimbabwe, President Robert Mugabe "could not pretend" that only the UK is critical of his government.

Opponents of President Mugabe have been murdered, while white owned-farms have been taken over.

Urgent review

Mr Cook said: "In the present circumstances of spreading violence, we have resolved that from today Britain will refuse all new export licence applications for arms and military equipment to Zimbabwe.

"This will include all licences for spare parts in connection with previous contracts such as Hawk aircraft. We urgently are reviewing all existing export licences to Zimbabwe."

Mr Cook said International Development Secretary Clare Short had suspended the programme supporting the supply of Land Rovers.

He said the programme would not resume until there was " clear determination by the Zimbabwe police to restore the rule of law".

Mr Cook said concern about the situation in Zimbabwe was shared by all MPs.

Threats over elections

He said: "Opposition campaigners have been ambushed and beaten up. Commercial companies who display opposition posters have had their properties fire-bombed," he said.

"Rural communities have been threatened that it will be known which ballot box came from their village.

"By the end of the past month of election campaigning, 14 political activists had been murdered, all of them supporters of the Opposition."

Mr Cook said election observers sent to Zimbabwe by the Commonwealth "must be admitted as early as possible" along with others from the European Union.

He said: "Whilst the primary responsibility for ending the violence rests with the Government of Zimbabwe, the presence of international observers may help deter some of the brutality of recent weeks and give some confidence to those who want free expression for their views."

'Ganging up'

Mr Cook dismissed Zimbabwe's claims that its conditions for funding land reform were "colonial", saying they were the conclusions of the 1998 Land Conference hosted and chaired by the Zimbabwe Government.

But on the issue of using the European Union to put pressure on Zimbabwe, Mr Maude warned: "It is hard to imagine anything more calculated to entrench Mugabe than the spectacle of all the former colonial powers ganging together against him."

Labour MP David Winnick asked if there would come a point where Zimbabwe could no longer remain in the Commonwealth.

Mr Cook said: "I do not believe that the Commonwealth will accept an outcome if its observers report continuing intimidation when they arrive."

Tory Nicholas Winterton said international police should be sent to prevent further intimidation of opposition supporters in Zimbabwe.