HEAD of the European Union Delegation to Zimbabwe, Aldo Dell’ Ariccia, on Wednesday said the bloc would not read much into Zanu PF’s reaction to the removal of 81 officials from its sanctions list, saying the move was a major step to normalise relations with Harare.
Senior Reporter Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo recently said the suspension of sanctions by the EU was a non-event.
He said as long as President Robert Mugabe remained under sanctions, Zanu PF would not celebrate the EU gesture.
“Let’s put it this way; an assault on President Mugabe is an assault on the entirety of Zimbabwe and we are not accustomed to taking assaults very kindly,” he said.
“The EU fools itself if it thinks Zanu PF is amused by its latest gesture.”
However, speaking to ZiFM on Wednesday night, Dell’ Ariccia said the bloc was sincere in re-engaging Zimbabwe.
“That is the party’s opinion. We have done much to normalise relations,” he said.
“We should not look at the negativity, but the positive, although I was not there in Brussels where the decision was made.
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“I think the people who remained on the sanctions list had not done enough on the implementation of the GPA.
“You should know that we get different inputs from various organisations and on these people, there was a consensus that they remain on the sanctions list.”
Mugabe, First Lady Grace, Zanu PF secretary for administration, war veterans’ leader Jabulani Sibanda and service chiefs remain on the EU sanctions list.
