ZIMBABWE: Some of the problems of Zimbabwe stemmed from "historic injustices", the South African Foreign Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, said in Dublin yesterday.
"Whether they were corrected in the right way is debatable, but nevertheless they needed correction," she added.
"The best people to resolve those problems are the Zimbabweans themselves, from across the political spectrum, both in government and in opposition and civil society, and that is the only way you can get a lasting solution for those problems.
"But we also are mindful of the fact that some of the problems stem from historic injustices that needed to be corrected," she said.
Dr Zuma was speaking after the first European Union-South Africa so-called troika meeting, held under the auspices of Ireland's European Presidency at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Iveagh House.
The troika involves the Irish EU Presidency, its successor, the Dutch government, and a representative of the EU Commission.
Zimbabwe was one of the issues discussed, with the EU side expressing its concern at the continuing deterioration of human rights in that country and reiterating that "restrictive measures against the government of Zimbabwe are targeted sanctions and not aimed at the general population".
The South African delegation urged the EU to continue its programme of humanitarian assistance to the people of Zimbabwe and "underscored the importance of the resolution of the land issue in Zimbabwe in addressing the historic injustice that resulted in skewed land ownership".
At the bilateral level, Dr Zuma and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, signed a Declaration of Intent to strengthen ties between South Africa and Ireland.
The declaration commits the two countries to regular high-level consultations in order to enhance the many forms of co-operation that have developed since the establishment of full diplomatic relations just over 10 years ago.
The signing ceremony was attended by members of the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement, which campaigned for decades to bring an end to the white supremacist regime.
Mr Cowen raised a glass of champagne to toast the past 10 years of democracy in South Africa and also paid tribute to South Africa's contribution to the peace process in Northern Ireland.
Earlier at Dublin Castle both ministers addressed a European regional conference on the Role of Civil Society in the Prevention of Armed Conflict, hosted by the Irish Presidency.
Mr Cowen announced the establishment of an academic fellowship dedicated to the memory of "my late colleague and good friend", the Swedish foreign minister, Anna Lindh, who was murdered last September.
"I am endeavouring to carry on Anna's hard work at world and European levels in relation to conflict prevention.
"As Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ireland, and with the agreement of her family and the Swedish authorities, I am happy to announce my intention to establish an academic postgraduate-level fellowship here in Ireland to be dedicated to her memory which will focus on the role of the EU in conflict prevention and conflict resolution," Mr Cowen said.
Dr Zuma told the conference that the African Union, the continent's counterpart of the EU, had found it necessary to set up a Peace and Security Council because the United Nations was so "sluggish" in dealing with African conflicts.