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IRIN Africa | Southern Africa | SOUTH AFRICA-ZIMBABWE | SOUTH AFRICA-ZIMBABWE: Relations unaffected by spy scandal, says official | Democracy-Other | News Items
Saturday 18 March 2006
 
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SOUTH AFRICA-ZIMBABWE: Relations unaffected by spy scandal, says official


[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]



©  

The spy saga has not affected relations between South Africa and neighbouring Zimbabwe, say officials

JOHANNESBURG, 13 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - The arrest a year ago of a South African spy for running an espionage ring in Zimbabwe has not affected relations between the two countries, an official told IRIN.

Andrew Welken, a member of the South African Secret Service, who has been in prison in Zimbabwe for the past year, was escorted back to South Africa by Minister of Intelligence Ronnie Kasrils on Tuesday.

"The minister had been involved in talks with his Zimbabwean counterparts for a long time to negotiate Welken's release. It has not had an adverse affect on the relations between Zimbabwe and South Africa ... they [the Zimbabweans] were very cooperative," said Lorna Daniels, a spokeswoman for Kasrils.

Welken was arrested on 10 December 2005, when he was apparently planning to meet a senior Zimbabwean contact in Livingstone, in neighbouring Zambia.

"He [Welken] will, however, have to return to Zimbabwe next year for his trial," Daniels added.

The controversial spy scandal was viewed as an attempt by the South African government to access information on the internal dynamics of the government and ZANU-PF, Zimbabwe's ruling party.

After Welken's arrest, six ZANU-PF party members were reportedly also arrested and accused of being part of a South African espionage ring.

"Governments spy on each other all the time - it was unfortunate that the South Africans got caught," commented Professor John Stremlau, head of the department of international relations at South Africa's University of the Witwatersrand.

He noted, however, that Welken's release was significant because it indicated that, at a time when "Zimbabwe was isolated from the rest of the world, the South Africans still had a channel of communication open to pull a deal".

Daniels said Welken was treated well and was not tortured while in custody in Zimbabwe.

According to Daniels, the ministry will send Welken and his wife on an all expenses-paid holiday.

[ENDS]


 Theme(s) Democracy-Other
Other recent SOUTH AFRICA-ZIMBABWE reports:

Huge response to appeal to help restore women's dignity,  23/Feb/06

Persistence pays off for border jumpers looking for better life,  11/Jan/06

Govt to regularise Zimbabwean farmworkers,  10/Jan/06

A handful of Zimbabweans granted asylum,  1/Nov/05

Bailout talks to resume soon,  28/Sep/05

Other recent Democracy-Other reports:

ZIMBABWE: One half of the divided MDC heads for 'watershed' congress, 17/Mar/06

ZIMBABWE: Tsvangirai loses election appeal as opposition woes mount, 15/Feb/06

MOZAMBIQUE-SOUTH AFRICA: New investigation into Machel's death welcomed, 10/Feb/06

SOUTH AFRICA: Renewed focus on land reform, 8/Feb/06

ZAMBIA: Mwanawasa agrees to new constitution after sustained pressure, 18/Jan/06

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