Mugabe invites Prince Charles to Zimbabwe

Mugabe invites Prince Charles to Zimbabwe

PRINCE Charles is 'caught by surprise' as Mugabe leans over to greet

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By Staff Reporter

NEWLY-WED Prince Charles could have misled the world media when he claimed "surprise" after shaking President Robert Mugabe's hand during the pope's funeral at the Vatican Friday, according to new details.

Britain's heir to the throne claimed he had been ambushed by Mugabe who extended his hand during Pope John Paul II's funeral.

But Zimbabwe's Finance Minister Herbert Murerwa who was seated between the Prince and Mugabe has revealed that he had a "discussion centred on pleasantries" with Prince Charles, who also asked questions about Zimbabwe's economic situation.

It has also emerged that Mugabe extended an invitation to Prince Charles to visit Zimbabwe, after the two had a brief chat about Prince Charles' trip to Zimbabwe at independence from Britain in 1980. Prince Charles is said to have told Mugabe he enjoyed his 1980 trip "so much".

The details, released by Murerwa to Zimbabwe's official Herald newspaper will cause major embarassment to Prince Charles who was eager to avoid controversy ahead of his wedding to Camilla Parker on Saturday.

Prince Charles' handshake with Mugabe who is banned from travel to the European Union has already been condemned as "stupid" by two European legislators.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, meanwhile, avoided the controversy by refusing to take his seat next to Mugabe after the two were controversially seated next to each other, according to reports.

The Herald reports that Blair "stood up and walked away when he saw President Mugabe coming to take his seat next to him."

"Some Vatican officials had to bring chairs for the British delegation and Blair was heard saying he was not comfortable sitting next to Mr Mugabe," the Herald reported.

Mugabe, a Catholic, side-stepped a European Union travel ban to attend the service at the Vatican, which does not have its own airport but has a pact with Italy to ensure visitors access to the city state.

A Clarence House spokesman said: "The Prince of Wales was caught by surprise and not in a position to avoid shaking Mr Mugabe’s hand. The Prince finds the current Zimbabwean regime abhorrent.

"He has supported the Zimbabwe Defence and Aid Fund which works with those being oppressed by the regime. "The Prince also recently met Pius Ncube, the Archbishop of Bulawayo, an outspoken critic of the government."

Under a long-standing agreement, Italy is obliged to allow visitors to the Vatican to cross Italian territory because the Papal State has no airport.

Questions were being asked as to why Charles was sitting so close to Mr Mugabe.

The Foreign Office said the seating arrangements had been devised by the Vatican which “is its own state and makes its own arrangements on issues of this sort”.
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