Trade negotiations

By Tererai Karimakwenda

The European Union’s ambassador to Zimbabwe has continued to receive strong criticism for comments he made recently, supporting the Mugabe regime and blasting civil society for attacking the ageing leader’s government.

The latest salvo against Aldo Dell’Ariccia came from the London based pressure group the Zimbabwe Vigil, who described him as a “loud-mouthed diplomat” who “showed his colours” when he said there is no leadership crisis in Zimbabwe.

Dell’Ariccia made the comments at a meeting in Harare last week, when he blasted civil society for their critical attitude towards ZANU PF, saying: “I have the impression that you are a little bit anchored in the past where instead of seeing NGOs one perceives AGOs- anti-government organisations”.

The Vigil dubbed the EU ambassador “Mugabe’s E.U.

cheerleader”, and dismissed the fact that he had tried to qualify his comments by saying the words had bee