Date: 23 June 2008
Source: United Nations
Title: Ban Ki-moon: opening remarks at press encounter on Zimbabwe

Opening remarks at press encounter on Zimbabwe

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen:

As I am going to have another press stakeout on Thursday, and as I have another important engagement at 3:10, I will be very brief and I will focus today on the situation in Zimbabwe. As you know, the Security Council will discuss this matter from 3:00 this afternoon, so my statement will be brief.

I would like to take this moment to say how distressed I am by the events leading to the understandable decision of the Opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai to withdraw from the runoff election scheduled for this Friday.

You have all seen the statement I issued yesterday. We strongly agree with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) that conditions do not exist for free and fair elections right now in Zimbabwe. There has been too much violence, too much intimidation. A vote held in these conditions would lack all legitimacy. Just today we have seen a new report of a raid on the Opposition headquarters in Harare and of dozens of arrests.

The campaign of threat and intimidation we have seen in Zimbabwe goes against the very spirit of democracy. Instead of openness, free competition and transparency, we have witnessed fear, hostility and blatant attacks against Zimbabwean citizens.

This violence and intimidation must stop. The people of Zimbabwe have a right to live in peace and security, to enjoy the protections of the rule of law, and to vote freely and fairly for those who would lead them.

Over the week-end, I have been in close contact with a number of African leaders. We all agree that the elections should be postponed until the right conditions are in place. I would strongly discourage the authorities from going ahead with the run-off on Friday. It will only deepen divisions within the country and produce a result that cannot be credible.

I am committed to working with the SADC, and the African Union to get the parties talking in order to avoid an even greater tragedy in Zimbabwe. Many leaders have suggested stronger involvement of the United Nations in this process. My envoy on the ground, Haile Menkerios, remains ready to assist these efforts.

Let me say in conclusion that what happens in Zimbabwe has importance well beyond that country's borders. The situation in Zimbabwe represents the single greatest challenge to regional stability in Southern Africa today. The region's political and economic security is at stake, as is the very institution of elections in Africa.

Thank you very much.