BRUSSELS, Feb 18: European Union foreign ministers unanimously agreed on Monday to go ahead with sanctions against President Robert Mugabe’s regime and to pull EU election observers out of Zimbabwe.

The sanctions, against Mugabe himself and 19 other members of his administration, include a ban on travel to the European Union and a freeze on any assets they hold in the 15-nation bloc, as well as an arms embargo.

The decision follows Saturday’s expulsion from Harare of the Swedish chief of the EU election mission to Zimbabwe, Pierre Schori. Just over 30 other observers remained in the country.

Hotly contested presidential elections in Zimbabwe, where Mugabe has been in power for nearly 22 years, are set for March 9-10.

Monday’s decision was taken as rampaging Mugabe supporters stoned the Harare headquarters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, and after a Swedish newspaper reporter was told to leave the country.

“These sanctions are aimed solely at those whom the EU judges to be responsible for the violence (in the run-up to the elections), for the violations of human rights and for preventing the holding of free and fair elections in Zimbabwe,” a statement by the foreign ministers said.

“The sanctions are designed not to harm ordinary citizens of Zimbabwe or her neighbours, nor should they prevent dialogue between the EU and Zimbabwe to address its economic and other problems,” it said.

Others on the sanctions list include Foreign Minister Stan Mudenge, Information Minister Jonathan Moyo, Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, Defense Minister Sidney Sekeramayi and Agriculture Minister Joseph Made.

Diplomats said that Schori, who is Sweden’s ambassador to the United Nations, had personally urged the foreign ministers to go ahead with the sanctions they had threatened against Mugabe since January 28.

Eleven days ago Mugabe’s government told the EU that it would accept observers from only nine of the 15 EU member states. On the implied black list were Britain, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Finland.

In their statement Monday, the foreign ministers alleged that all 20 on the EU sanctions list were responsible for “serious violations of human rights and of the freedom of opinion, of association and of peaceful assembly in Zimbabwe.”

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who had pushed hard for a common EU position on Zimbabwe, said Mugabe’s promise of free and fair elections had proven “entirely bogus.”

“We have made many, many accommodations with the government of Zimbabwe, but today is the end of the road,” Straw told reporters.

“It’s clear (from a report that Schori presented to the foreign ministers) that it’s not possible for the observers to do their job, and that’s why we agreed unanimously ... that sanctions should be applied,” he said.

Straw also said that the decision “sends out a strong message about the credibility” of EU election observer missions, wherever they might be deployed.—AFP