Tsvangirai looks to EU, Obama

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai says talks with the EU on normalising relations would help restore international confidence in his country.

The EU in June held its first official talks with Zimbabwe in seven years with a landmark meeting in Brussels, followed last month by the visit of an EU delegation to Harare.

The dialogue marks a major diplomatic overture with Zimbabwe after years of strained relations due to a series of violent elections and claims of gross human rights abuses by President Robert Mugabe's government.

Tsvangirai joined Mugabe in a unity government in February, and quickly made a tour of western capitals in a bid to improve relations and seek desperately needed aid for Zimbabwe's ruined economy.

"Zimbabwe is emerging from a political and economic conflict. One of the key things that we need to do is to expedite the EU's rapid dialogue," Tsvangirai says.

"The issues are very clear. The Europeans have their own legitimate concerns, we have our legitimate concerns and therefore I think that only through dialogue are we able to establish a common ground and remove those obstacles that have led to strained relations."

The EU maintains a travel ban and asset freeze against Mugabe and about 200 of his close allies, but has also provided 600 million euros in humanitarian aid between 2002 and 2009.

Hours after the Barack Obama was sensationally awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, he also called on African leaders to do more to help the US president develop the continent. "I think he will be sympathetic to Africa but I think he has other priorities. So it now depends on the African leadership ... to do something. Let's facilitate Obama to help us."