20120724
AFP
In a policy U-turn, the European Union promised Monday to lift most of the sanctions slapped against Zimbabwe a decade ago if the country holds a "credible" vote on a new constitution.

But as British Foreign Secretary William Hague stated that President Robert Mugabe definitely would remain on an EU blacklist, the veteran Zimbabwean leader's party rejected the decision as mere "nonsense".

The suspension of the 2002 sanctions in order to promote reform in the southern African nation was proposed by Britain, much along the lines of the lifting of sanctions earlier this year to reward reformers in Myanmar.

Welcoming recent "constructive dialogue" and "progress" between the nation's political foes -- Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai -- EU foreign ministers also agreed to resume direct aid to Zimbabwe's government after a 10-year suspension.

"The decision reached today," said Hague, "represents an important step-change in the EU's approach to Zimbabwe."

"This is intended to show to reformers in Zimbabwe that there will be rewards," he said as he left the ministerial talks. "Many people across the political spectrum in Zimbabwe have called for this."

"We are responding positively to that."

A statement from the 27 EU ministers said sanctions would be lifted against most of the 112 Zimbabweans still listed on a decade-old EU asset freeze and travel ban.

This would only occur once a referendum on a new constitution has been organised, probably at the end of the year.

"The EU agrees that a peaceful and credible constitutional referendum would represent an important milestone in the preparation of democratic elections that would justify a suspension of the majority of all EU targeted restrictive measures against individuals and entities," the statement said.

But Hague said the suspension was "not including those on Mugabe," who is 88 and has ruled since independence from Britain in 1980.

An EU official also told AFP that "there is no question of lifting sanctions against Mugabe or anyone involved in continued abuses of human rights, incitement to violence, etc -- that is simply not up for discussion".

The EU in May said it was involved in a "re-engagement" process with Zimbabwe after the country's leaders agreed to pen a new constitution to be put to a referendum before elections.

Drafting a new constitution was a key condition of reforms agreed in 2008 when Mugabe was forced into a power-sharing deal with arch-rival Tsvangirai after a violence-marred presidential election.

The draft of the country's new rule-book was finalised last week but no date fixed to put it to a vote by referendum.

In Harare, a spokesman for Mugabe's ZANU-PF party said of the Brussels decision: "It's all nonsense."

"Why are they talking about a lifting of sanctions dependent on the holding and outcome of a referendum? We don't think that's the way to do it. We are saying all sanctions must go," said Rugare Gumbo.

"We really have never depended on the EU," he said. "We depend on ourselves so their decision on sanctions makes no difference."

But Hague said that "far from being nonsense it is what we will do."

Meanwhile Tsvangirai said during a visit to Australia that Zimbabwe was ready to re-engage with the global community after a "very dark and unfortunate history".

Australia too said it was open to easing sanctions.