Fine Gael has criticised the decision of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to attend the EU Africa Summit in Lisbon at which Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe will be present. Stephen Collinsreports.
"In the past Irish Government Ministers have expressed a reluctance to attend a summit if Mr Mugabe was likely to be in attendance. Despite pleas from this country and others advocating sanctions to be imposed by the EU since 2002, Mr Mugabe has continued to carry out human rights abuses and shunned democracy," said Fine Gael Foreign Affairs spokesman, Billy Timmins. He added that Mr Mugabe's policies had bankrupted Zimbabwe and left several hundred thousand citizens homeless, resulting in many fleeing to South Africa and Botswana.
"The non-attendance of the Taoiseach and Minister for Foreign Affairs would be a clear indication that Ireland is more concerned about the rights of a vulnerable and persecuted people than attempts to safeguard Europe's €200 billion trade with Africa," he said.
British prime minister Gordon Brown is boycotting the summit because of Mr Mugabe's intended presence at the event in just over a week's time.
The Taoiseach and Minister of State for Overseas Development Micheal Kitt are scheduled to attend the summit.
A Government spokesman said most EU member states would be represented at head of Government/State level.
"It is envisaged that both the Taoiseach and the Minister of State for Overseas Development will attend the summit. The general view is that it is important that the summit goes ahead with the aim of identifying a common vision and approach to EU-African engagement," said the spokesman.