Zimbabwe (Hansard, 13 June 2003)

§ Mrs. Spelman
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions took place between the Government and the England and Wales Cricket Board on the humanitarian situation and human rights abuses in Zimbabwe in relation to the tour of the Zimbabwean cricket team. [115441]

§ Mr. Rammell
Government officials last discussed the cricket world cup with the England Cricket Board (ECB) on 23 January. They discussed the situation in Zimbabwe, including humanitarian and human rights issues.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Tessa Jowell) made clear in her letter of 24 March to Tim Lamb of the ECB that the Government has no objection to the Zimbabwe Cricket team and its management and supporters coming to this country, provided individuals subject to the EU travel ban are not part of that touring party.
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Whilst we did not support the England team going to Zimbabwe during the World Cup because of the propaganda opportunities that could have afforded the Mugabe regime, we do not wish to stand in the way of Zimbabwean teams competing here. Indeed that has been a stance backed and endorsed by Henry Olonga, one of the Zimbabwe cricketers who protested against Mugabes regime during the world cup.

§ Bob Russell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Zimbabwe over the expulsion from Zimbabwe of Mr. Andrew Meldrum. [115150]

§ Mr. Rammell
As Mr. Meldrum is an American citizen, the Government do not have formal grounds for making consular representations on his behalf. However, the High Commissioner in Harare raised Mr. Meldrums case with the acting Secretary (most senior official) at Zimbabwes Ministry of Foreign Affairs ahead of Andrew Meldrums deportation on 16 May 2003. He urged compliance with court orders barring deportation, and stressed that denying US consular officials access to Mr. Meldrum was unacceptable. High Commission staff have also kept in close touch with Mr. Meldrum in recent weeks, as well as attending the High Court hearings into his case and assisting Guardian staff when they visited Harare earlier this month.