Lotus no.71 (Foreign Policy)

[Lotus]

LOTUS no.71 - Political and Social Commentary

Wednesday 26th of March, 2003

IRAQ/DIEGO…THE LATEST PRB'S FOREIGN POLICY FIASCOS

One of the strengths of Paul Bérenger is that he is extremely well read. Unfortunately, he is also extremely stubborn as well and when his obstinacy starts to affect Mauritian diplomacy, the whole country suffers from the terrible mistakes he makes.

The latest is Tuesday's pathetic performance in the National Assembly, where he filled in for the Foreign Minister. Let alone his wishy-washy reply to the Leader of the Opposition's PNQ, which is unlikely to impress either the United States/British coalition, nor those opposed to war such as France, Germany and Russia, his response to the question of Diego Garcia was pitiful to say the least.

It has now become clear that the MSM/MMM have NO intention of moving forward on the Chagos Archipelago issue, apart from using it as a propaganda tool against the Labour Party. Yet the excision took place in 1965 when Mauritius was still under British rule and, as SAJ likes to so proudly proclaim at ever occasion, the MSM has been in power for 15 of the last 20 years. Even Bérenger has been a Minister for over 5 years, including Minister of Foreign Affairs. Apart from a comical threat by SAJ to go on a boat to reclaim the archipelago, all the MSM/MMM statements have been exactly the same. Possibly it is in their best interests for this issue never to be resolved, so that they can perpetually rehash their drivel against the Labour Party. Interestingly, Seychelles was also part of the Mauritian territory before being detached in 1903. Perhaps we should go after them as well: the benefits would be much greater!

This is the third foreign policy mess, directly attributed to PRB, which has caused great harm to the country.

The first was in the early nineties, when PRB has Foreign Minister decided that it was in Mauritius' best interests to play the PTA/COMESA card rather than join SADEC. But following the release of Mandela, resulting in the emergence of SADEC as the main economic body of Southern Africa, Mauritius was almost made to beg to become a member. PRB's selective amnesia even led him to criticize the Labour government in early 2000 for having been to slow with regard to the SADEC issue.

The second diplomatic gaffe was the recent stand of the government with regard to the situation in Zimbabwe. Notwithstanding the present delicate situation in that country, the aggressive stand adopted by PRB has not only angered Mugabe, but is surely looked at with derision by the heads of the neighbouring countries, such as South Africa. Mauritius has always had to struggle as the odd-man out with regard to the other African nations: the stand taken by PRB is not going to go down well. One wonders what the reaction in those countries will be if ever he accedes to the post of Prime Minister. The local press have a tendency to shout "racism" too easily, without considering "reality".
Sanjit Teelock

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