Remarks by Condoleezza Rice following meeting of G8 Foreign Ministers, Kyoto, Japan, June 27 2008
QUESTION: Madame Secretary, will the United Nations Security Council consider sanctions against Zimbabwe next week? And if so, what sanctions might they consider? And lastly, is there a possibility of some kind of peacekeeping force? Because I think Morgan Tsvangirai has suggested that.
SECRETARY RICE: Yes. Well, we are going to consult with the South African Development Community, with the AU. We have consulted today with our G-8 counterparts. There was a strong, strong sentiment in that room today, that what is going on in Zimbabwe is simply unacceptable in the 21st century and cannot be ignored by the international community. And that is why the statement speaks to the legitimacy of anything that - any government that comes out of those sham elections today.
You know that the United States has widespread sanctions on Zimbabwe and individuals already. But I think it's fair to say that those operating in Zimbabwe should know that there are those in the international community who believe that the Security Council should consider sanctions. And since the United States is the president of the Security Council until the end of the month, we intend to bring up the issue of Zimbabwe in the Council and we will see what the Council decides to do.
This is an extract from the transcript issued by the US Department of State June 28 2008
