Zimbabwe tops agenda of southern African summit

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(16 Aug 2007) • 1. Wide exterior of Mulungushi Conference Centre • 2. Close up of sign for summit reading: (english) ''27th Ordinary SADC summit of heads of state and government.'' • 3. Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa, arriving • 4. Robert Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe, arriving • 5. Wide of the conference • 6. South African Development Community leaders on stage • 7. Close up of Mugabe on the stage • 8. Mbeki on stage • 9. Mid of leaders • 10. Audience listening to speech • 11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Levy Manawasa, President of Zambia: • My strong advice to the brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe is to maintain peace and stability at all costs because the opposite will just push your beautiful country even further backwards. In the meantime, SADC (South African Development Community) is there for you. • 12. Audience clapping • STORYLINE: • Delegates gathered on Thursday at the start of a southern African summit expected to focus on Zimbabwe's economic and political turmoil. • At the conference it was the country's president President Robert Mugabe who received the loudest cheers. • Many blame Mugabe's policies for the severe inflation and acute shortages that have crippled his country, once a regional breadbasket. • But the dignitaries' reaction as Mugabe was introduced appeared to reflect the opinion that the long time ruler has been unfairly targeted - or at least a hesitation to criticise an anti-colonialist leader. • South African President Thabo Mbeki is leading a regional effort to mediate a truce between Mugabe and his political opposition and was expected to report on Thursday on his efforts. • As the summit opened, Zambian President Mwanawasa, who is taking over the rotating chairmanship of the 14-member Southern African Development Community, praised elder statesmen who helped liberate countries in the region from colonial rule. • Among southern African leaders who oversaw the liberation of their countries, Mugabe, who has led Zimbabwe for 27 years, is the only one still in power. • Mwanawasa urged Zimbabweans to maintain peace and stability at all costs, because the opposite will just push your beautiful country even further backwards. • Officials with the Movement for Democratic Change, Zimbabwe's lead opposition party, who are in Lusaka this week lobbying regional leaders, said Mbeki's mediation efforts were taking too long. • Mugabe's neighbours have long been reluctant to openly criticise one of their own, as Zimbabwe confronts its worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1980. • Official inflation is given as 4,500 percent, the highest in the world, but independent estimates put it closer to 9,000 percent. • A government order slashing prices of all goods and services by about half in June has led to acute shortages of basic commodities. • Government opponents say they have been subjected to police beatings and raids, and the US and European Union have slapped asset freezes and a travel ban on Mugabe and his top associates. • Many in the region are also concerned about the destabilising effects of Mugabe's policies, which have sent thousands of refugees into neighbouring countries. • • Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork • Twitter: / ap_archive • Facebook: / aparchives • Instagram: / apnews • • • You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...

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