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Toyako, Japan — Prime Minister Stephen Harper pressed for G8 leaders to take a strong stand on Robert Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe as he arrived today on the eve of a summit of the world's largest developed countries.
While the G8 summit that runs Monday to Wednesday is supposed to make climate change, the world economy, and African development its key themes, the one-candidate election in Zimbabwe that allowed Mr. Mugabe to claim another term in power is likely to garner some of the focus.
Mr. Harper met with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda shortly after arriving in Toyako, in northern Japan, on Sunday afternoon, and both Canadian and Japanese officials said Zimbabwe was a key point in their talks.
British and German officials have called for the G8 to make a strong statement on the illegitimacy of Mr. Mugabe's government, and Mr. Harper's spokesman said he raised the need for a separate statement on Zimbabwe, not just a line in the summit's final communiqué, to underline concerns.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his son Ben arrive at New Chitose Airport in Chitose, near Sapporo, on Sunday.
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At their meeting, Mr. Harper and Mr. Fukuda “agreed that there is a need for a strong stand alone G8 statement on Zimbabwe,” Carolyn Stewart Olsen, Mr. Harper's press secretary, said in an email.
Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Kazuo Kodama said after the meeting Mr. Fukuda believes the situation in Zimbabwe “requires the G8 to respond.”
Just what constitutes a strong statement may differ from leader to leader, however. Canada imposed additional sanctions on Zimbabwe last week, and backs calls for new UN sanctions. Mr. Fukuda wants to use a statement issued by G8 foreign ministers, which sharply criticized the election but did not mention sanctions, as the basis for discussions, Mr. Kodama said.
Whether the G8 – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the United States – can place any more pressure on Mr. Mugabe's regime is in doubt.
But two leaders who do have influence, South African President Thabo Mbeki and Chinese President Hu Jintao, will also attend the summit for “outreach” discussions – and likely face some pressure from G8 leaders to lean on Mr. Mugabe. Mr. Kodama, with diplomatic reserve, said G8 leaders would be “very attentive” to Mr. Mbeki's views on Zimbabwe.
Mr. Mbeki is the African Union's mediator for Zimbabwe, but last week the AU refused to censure Mr. Mugabe and instead called for reconciliation talks between Mr. Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Many western countries say only a government led by Mr. Tsvangirai would be legitimate.
The G8 meetings, held at a resort site in northern Japan ringed with extensive security, opens Monday with a session with leaders of seven African countries, plus the African commission, on development in Africa.
The rising prices of food are likely to dominate some of that discussion, but pressure to set details for G8 commitments on improving health in Africa, pushed heavily by US President George W. Bush will also be a major part.
Mr. Bush arrived saying he wanted commitments on training health care workers in Africa, fighting diseases, and funding battles against so-called neglected tropical diseases. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he wanted “concrete action.”
Mr. Harper is also scheduled to hold a head-to-meeting with European Commission president José Manuel Barroso, and a brief session with Tanzania's president Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete.
Two more days, devoted mostly to the economy and climate change, will follow.
