From the Daily Telegraph, 2/13/03:
President Robert Mugabe was given permission yesterday to visit France in violation of a European Union travel ban, delivering a further blow to the crumbling sanctions policy against his regime in Zimbabwe….
In exchange, France agreed to renew sanctions against Zimbabwe’s political elite for a second year. These include a freeze on assets, a travel ban and a weapons boycott.
Paris, which regards tensions between Britain and Zimbabwe as a post-colonial family spat, feared that other African leaders would boycott the summit unless Mr Mugabe was included….
Critics say the sanctions policy has already been rendered worthless because of waivers allowing banned Zimbabwe ministers to make almost weekly shopping trips to Brussels under the pretext of attending EU events.