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Article: EU/ZIMBABWE: MUGABE DEFIES EU TRAVEL BAN TO ATTEND POPE'S FUNERAL.(Robert Mugabe)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- European Report
- Article date:
- April 8, 2005
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Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe defied the European Unions travel ban on April 8 when he attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II at the Vatican City in Rome. Mugabe was banned from travel to Europe in 2002 after being accused of rigging Zimbabwe's presidential elections. However, Italian authorities said they had had no choice but to admit him because the Holy See is an autonomous state, and the EU travel ban does not apply to it. Under a 1929 treaty between Italy and the Vatican, which does not have its own airport, Italy may not interfere with Vatican guests transiting the country.
Mr Mugabe's ruling party was re-elected just the week before but critics have ...