Why did Mbeki get picked to try mediate the Sudan crisis? I mean his efforts regarding Zimbabwe weren't exactly stunning.

He said the same about Zimbabwe...over and over

Murrow, that point of the matter is that the majority of countries in this world, including China and India (jointly over half of the world's population), France, Russia, the whole of South America, Africa (excluding the European outpost called Botswana), ACTUALLY thought his intervention was "stunning" (in the postive sense). Only the South African media (which never particularly liked him), the UK media, US media and Australian media (all of whom are dominant determinors of the average SAffricans (particularly white) opinions), thought his intervention was negative. Subsequent events have shown that not even Zuma, whose buddies in COSATU spread the propaganda that he would be "strong on Mugabe", has been able to improve the general framework of mediation! It is still and will always be quiet diplomacy.
Hence he was promoted to Sudan, Kapish?

Dec 22 2009 09:39:34 AM
geanann

But Geanann, you know you are too thick to understand what "mediation" is. Stick to your crass blog, I see it tickles the fancy of a few resentful ngamlas.

@Murrow and geanann. Zimbabwe will always be Mbeki's bug-bear. Strangely though, he is the only one who managed to get the two parties around the table. He got a deal out of them!!! Nobody else managed to do that. We really need to be fair on these matters!!!

ANC made a big mistake by recalling him...the guy is smart, the world knows this...thats instability was stirred at Zim to overflow to SA

Dec 22 2009 09:43:59 AM
Pricklong

Spot on
I dont see anything different Zuma doing as compared to Mbeki on the Zim mediation
As loud as he was before he became president about this quite diplomacy

Murrow and Geanann.........

When making assesments of any outcome you need to look at the objectives that were set out and look at whether the outcomes meet those objectives.

Mbeki's objectives in Zim were:

(a) to get them talking,

(b) get them to agree to a mutually acceptable deal to govern Zim.

He succeded on both counts, it was never his mandate or prerogative to
enforce the implementation of the deal, that unfortunately remains the "duty" of Zimbabweans!!!!

Fortunately the AU and the UN see this, its too bad that you choose not to see it!!

He is doing a much a better than kanga-man who can't even solve his organisation's in-fighting...

Dec 22 2009 10:23:50 AM
PrettyBoy

It was a big mistake!!!