UN says it cannot disown Zimbabwe's ambassador

The United Nations this week said that it could not reject Zimbabwe’s U.N. ambassador, as Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai wants, but instead urged for a full implementation of the power-sharing deal between Tsvangirai and the President, Robert Mugabe.

Earlier, Tsvangirai asked the United Nations, the European Union, and four other nations to reject the diplomatic credentials of incoming ambassadors from his country, saying the postings were made “illegally and unconstitutionally” and should not be recognised.

A February 2009 power-sharing agreement requires the coalition partners to agree on all senior appointments. Tsvangirai says these diplomatic appointments were made by President Robert Mugabe without his agreement.

Press officer for the Zimbabwe Vigil, Dennis Benton, says that he believes this is a key moment for Tsvangirai.

“He’s been embarrassed, exasperated, by being completely ignored on important matters by Mugabe,” he told Vatican Radio. “Tsvangirai’s actions will remind the united states and the European Union, if they need reminding, that the situation in Zimbabwe remains very perilous indeed.”