Posted on 02/07/2003 3:02:39 PM PST by Clive
WHILE the European Union (EU) is still squabbling over the renewal of sanctions against President Robert Mugabe and his associates, it has emerged the United States - despite public threats - has not yet imposed similar measures against Harare.
High-level diplomatic sources said the US has so far only managed to ban Mugabe and his associates from entering its territory. But it declines to name those targeted.
"Despite a torrent of rhetoric from the US and its claims to have imposed similar restrictions as those taken by the EU, there are in fact no US sanctions in force," a diplomatic source said.
"Every few months or so, the US claims to be re-evaluating its sanctions policy with the goal of tightening the financial stranglehold around Mugabe and his party but this is strictly hot air."
Sources said if Washington had imposed sanctions, this would have been done through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the names of institutions and individuals affected would have been published.
Those targeted would also become "special designated nationals" and would be listed with the Office of Foreign Asset Control at the Treasury Department.
US embassy spokesman in Harare Bruce Wharton this week admitted that his country had not imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe.
"We have not imposed sanctions on Zimbabwean officials," he said. "The only thing we have got in place are visa restrictions on a relatively small number of Zimbabweans."
US President George Bush made a proclamation of visa restrictions on March 4 last year.
The clarification of the US position came as the EU on Wednesday failed for the third time in two weeks to agree on the renewal of sanctions, which expire on February 18.
Despite the fact all countries within the 15-member bloc are generally agreed on sanctions, a row which erupted a few weeks ago over Mugabe's expected travel to the France/ Africa summit in Paris on February 19 has been affecting the sanctions rollover debate.
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