Tsvangirai: 'Forgive but not forget'
Updated on 22 June 2009
Zimbabwe's prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, speaks to Jon Snow about his hope for the country's future, despite being booed at a gathering of exiles on Saturday.
On a visit to Britain Mr Tsvangirai spoke of his confidence for February's power-sharing deal which sees him working alongside long-term foe President Robert Mugabe.
"I can't defend [Mugabe's] past but we have started a new political dispensation which is part of the solution.
"The general trust of the people is that they are confident that this is the process to lead the country to a better future…we are restabilising ourselves in the world so people understand that Zimbabwe is back again as part of the family of nations."
"The people of Zimbabwe… have begun to feel safety and stability," he said.
On Saturday Mr Tsvangirai visited London's Southwark Cathedral to speak to Zimbabwean expatriates. More than a thousand compatriots turned angry and heckled the prime minister when he tried to persuade them it was safe to return home.
Speaking to Jon Snow Mr Tsvangirai said that he, "had a feeling there would be people who were disappointed…but not to the extent of that reaction."
The prime minister went on to defend his working relationship with Robert Mugabe insisting that, "there is nothing unusual about it."
"I am prepared to forgive but not prepared to forget the past," he added.
Britain has given an extra £5 million food and education aid to Zimbabwe and promised more if the country can show it is on the road to real democratic reform.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said there were "great signs of progress" in the wake of the new coalition government.
But following talks at 10 Downing Street Brown warned that the UK would continue to watch for signs of renewed repression.
Mr Tsvangirai has struggled to raise the large sums of financial help he wants from foreign governments which remain wary of giving cash directly to Mr Mugabe and his allies.
Mr Brown said the extra cash - which brings this year's transitional help from the UK to £60 million - would be delivered via aid agencies and not the Harare administration.
