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Herald Reporter
Zimbabwe has expressed concern over the remarks by US National Security Advisor, Mr Robert O’Brien, which characterised Harare as his country’s “adversary” seeking to “sow discord” and try to damage democracy in Washington.

Yesterday, Mr O’Brien told US media that Zimbabwe, together with Russia and China, was taking advantage of the unrest in the US occasioned by the death of George Floyd, an African-American, by a white policeman.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Dr Sibusiso Moyo, today met US Ambassador in Harare, Brian Nichols, and told him that Mr O’Brien’s allegations were “false, without any factual foundation whatsoever”.

Minister Moyo said the claims were deeply damaging to a relationship already complicated by years of prescriptive megaphone diplomacy and punitive economic sanctions.

“Zimbabwe is not and never has been an adversary of the United States of America,” he said.

“Even in the face of repeated interference in our own internal affairs, Zimbabwe has been unwavering in its support for Article 2 (4) of the United Nations Charter which expressly urges all member states to respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of other states.”

Minister Moyo told Ambassador Nichols that Zimbabwe wants a normal, cooperative relationship with the US based on mutual understanding, mutual respect and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs; which is contrary to Mr O’Brien’s remarks.