South Africa, Zimbabwe strengthen defense, intelligence ties
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) – South Africa and Zimbabwe signed an agreement to strengthen defense and intelligence ties at a ceremony Thursday emphasizing the solidarity between the two neighbors in the face of growing international condemnation of Zimbabwe.
South African Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils praised Zimbabwe’s “advances and successes” in the 25 years since its independence from Britain. He said the two countries shared a “common world view” and would “march forward shoulder to shoulder.”
The comments contrasted with the criticism heaped on Zimbabwe by most Western governments, which accuse Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe of bringing his country to the brink of economic and social collapse and trampling on human rights.
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UN envoy urges Africa to address Zimbabwe crisis
JOHANNESBURG, 7 December (IRIN) - UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland has told South Africa that Africa should be "more outspoken on Zimbabwe".
In an interview with IRIN after his meeting on Wednesday with Sue van der Merwe, South Africa's deputy minister for foreign affairs, Egeland said, "We told them that each time it must not be Europe or any other western country raising issues [around] Zimbabwe."
The African Union has been taken to task by human rights bodies for its failure to criticise the Zimbabwean government's controversial clean-up campaign, Operation Murambatsvina, which left
America's top Africa official Jenday Frazer says she is "disappointed" with Africa's leaders for "looking away" from the Zimbabwe crisis.
Frazer, former United States ambassador to South Africa and now assistant secretary of state for Africa, was in South Africa where she met foreign minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on Monday.
She acknowledged that South Africa was not looking the other way on Zimbabwe in so far as it was trying to mediate there.
But on the other hand it was not openly saying there was a crisis there either as it had, for instance, in the Togo crisis.
"When I say African leaders
S. Africa, Zimbabwe open migrant center
To address an increasing flow of illegal migrants from Zimbabwe to South Africa, the countries announced plans Tuesday for a joint border migration office.
With support from the International Organization for Migration, officials will assist Zimbabweans with obtaining valid work permits, and also offer counseling on HIV and AIDS, the BBC reported.
'Deportees and other people in need of legal documents will be served food and other basic amenities while their papers are being sorted,' South African government spokesman Page Boikanyo said.
The exodus is being driven by economic collapse and a government housing demolition program.
Last week,
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, arriving in this South American capital Tuesday, said countries in the region should help strengthen democracy in Bolivia and suggested that governments in Cuba and Venezuela have been involved in Bolivia in "unhelpful ways."
Rumsfeld's brief trip is aimed at reinforcing ties with regional democracies as they fight political instability, terrorism and drug trafficking, defense officials said. Rumsfeld will also visit Peru.
Increasing political problems in Bolivia, which borders Paraguay to the northwest, have been fostered by Cuban and Venezuelan authorities, U.S. officials contend.
U.S. officials said the challenge is to steer Bolivia toward a democratic outcome while
The United States is sharing more intelligence secrets than ever with Australia, a partner in the invasion of Iraq, the Australian defense minister was quoted as saying in a report Thursday.
"In recent years, we have obtained unprecedented access to U.S. intelligence and tactical planning," Defense Minister Robert Hill was quoted as saying by The Australian newspaper.
"That has been of great value to Australia in terms of enhancing our national security," he said. "It's another sign of the close relationship between the U.S. and Australia," he added.
Hill was not immediately available for comment Thursday.
The newspaper reported, without offering
