Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

The answer to the last question is yes, we have. Again, it is important to stress it is not just the South African Government which has some influence in this difficult issue, even though there are substantial numbers of Zimbabweans resident in South Africa. The Southern African Development Community is an important aspect of how pressure can be put on this regime. The EU is working in tandem with that organisation and on a bilateral basis, as we are with South Africa and other countries, in order to insist the people who have been imprisoned are released immediately and given medical care and legal assistance. On the wider issue, the EU will be keeping a close eye on developments, in that we will have to mobilise other international support in this respect.

In the recent past there has been a change in the Government's attitude, particularly in regard to diplomats who have endeavoured to speak out or meet with some of those who have been in prison for some time. This shows clearly the Government there is on the run. We will do all we can in a targeted way against the regime, not against the people, in order to ensure as much international pressure as possible is put on it.

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