Merkel takes tough stance on Zimbabwe sanctions

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is interviewed by reporters of the Associated Press in her Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, July 2, 2008. Merkel took a tough stance against Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, condemning his re-election last week as illegitimate and vowing in an interview with The Associated Press that the European Union would seek "all possible sanctions" against the country's government and leader. (AP Photo/Herbert Knosowski) BERLIN?German Chancellor Angela Merkel took a tough stance against Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, condemning his re-election last week as illegitimate and vowing in an interview with The Associated Press that the European Union would seek "all possible sanctions" against the country's government and leader. "We will take up the issue again within the EU, under the leadership of the French presidency," Merkel said. "We will think up all possible sanctions and check to see what more we can do, such as travel bans" for members of Mugabe's regime. The EU, which is calling for new elections, said Friday it was ready to consider "appropriate measures" against those responsible for violence in Zimbabwe, but did not elaborate. The U.S. also is seeking international sanctions against Mugabe and his top aides. In a wide-ranging interview this week in her vast office with sweeping views of the Reichstag parliament building, Merkel spoke of her priorities ahead of next week's summit of Group of Eight industrialized nations in Japan -- and cited Zimbabwe as a key issue on the agenda. She hinted that the G-8 may apply pressure on African leaders invited to the summit to take a more forceful position against Mugabe. A gathering of African Union leaders in Egypt failed to yield a strong unified message over voting widely dismissed as a farce after opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai pulled out, citing violence and intimidation. "We will speak to the African countries that are invited to the summit. And we will of course all voice our opinions about Zimbabwe," she said. Merkel said G-8 leaders would strive to find solutions to the food crisis that threatens millions in poor nations with hunger -- and emphasized the need to help developing nations help themselves through modern agricultural reforms. "Germany will come up with a contribution of a half-a billion euros for the coming years to support agriculture in the developing countries," Merkel said. "The cooperation in development needs to be more concentrated on water management and agriculture." Merkel said the G-8 summit will provide a chance to continue work on issues such as climate change and the state of the global economy begun the year before, when she hosted the gathering in the German seaside resort of Heiligendamm. That summit was lauded as a success for the German leader, who was raised in the former East Germany and became the nation's first woman chancellor in Nov. 2005. Since then she has enjoyed solid support, despite leading a fractious coalition of her conservative Christian Democrats and the center-left Social Democrats. Praised at home for a diplomatic approach widely seen here as subtle yet firm, Merkel succeeded at last year's summit in winning Bush's backing for a statement that mentions a fixed cut in greenhouse gas emissions, while falling short of persuading him to commit to target cuts. Merkel remained pragmatic on global warming ahead of the Japan summit, saying Germany would back an American initiative for a fund that would "promote climate-friendly technology until a follow-up treaty to the Kyoto protocol would take effect." The "issue has also become more important for the United States and the government there," she said. Merkel recognized it was unrealistic to expect the U.S. -- whether led by Republicans or Democrats -- to agree to a global pact on climate change unless developing nations did their part as well. "Even a new American administration" is going to insist that any climate agreement entail that emerging economies contribute to stemming global warming, she said, noting that had been Washington's major sticking point on the Kyoto pact. Referring to the standoff with Iran over its nuclear program, Merkel emphasized that the European Union would continue to target Tehran with sanctions, noting that the 27-nation bloc "has shown it is serious" about that approach. Merkel also called for a discussion of international standards for producing biofuels "to avoid unnecessary competition between the cultivation of food and biofuels." Merkel broke from other EU nations -- and from some of her own previous positions -- regarding genetically modified foods, coming out in favor of using them to fight the food crisis in poor countries. "In developing countries we have very different problems than in Germany. Here we have an over abundance of food and a well-fed population," she said. "In other parts of the world, the fight to survive is a daily struggle." Concerning U.S-German ties, Merkel said the relationship would move forward regardless of whether Barack Obama or John McCain is elected in November. "I have always said that I will work toward a good trans-Atlantic relationship with whomever president is elected by the American people," Merkel said.

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