English/Nat Ministers from Britain and Zimbabwe met in London on Thursday to try to reach agreement on aid for land reforms in the former British colony. British authorities have offered to pay up to 57 (m) U-S dollars (36 (m) million pounds) for land reform over the next two years if Zimbabwe ends the occupations of white-owned farms and agrees to a fair transfer of land. It's hoped the talks will defuse a crisis over farm occupations by militant government supporters. British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook met with a Zimbabwe delegation on Thursday - hoping to pressure the African nation into ending violence against farmers and holding free elections in exchange for land reform funds. The Zimbabwe team, led by Minister for Local Government John Nkomo, was met outside the Foreign Office by protesters shouting "murderer" and "free Zimbabwe." Two of the Zimbabwean Ministers made brief comments to reporters before being ushered inside. SOUNDBITE: (English) (Reporter) "What do you hope to achieve by today?" "We are invited by the British to discuss our land reform programme." SUPER CAPTION: John Nkomo, Zimbabwean Local Government Minister They said they were making progress in ending the violence, but denied knowledge of any conditions attached to Britain's land transfer offer. SOUNDBITE: (English) "Are you prepared to accept the conditions for financing?" "We have not been told of any conditions." (Reporter) "So what will your message to the Foreign Secretary be here this morning?" "I'll tell you after (the meeting)." SUPER CAPTION: John Nkomo, Zimbabwean Local Government Minister SOUNDBITE: (English) "Our proposals are very clear. They were agreed in the Donar conference." (Reporter) "What is your view about the state of the illegal farm occupations?" "There are demonstrations in the farms which the ex-combatants are doing and there have been discussions taking place between the farmers and the ex-combatants under the chairmanship of President Mugabe and things look...we are making progress in that direction. The demonstrations are in the hands of the people who are demonstrating. We are hoping that the British Government's still committed to operate re the Donar conference." SUPER CAPTION: Stan Mudenge, Zimbabwean Foreign Minister The British government is willing to provide 57 (m) million U-S dollars (36 (m) million pounds) to give black people a chance to own some of their nation's most productive farmland. The government came out early with its negotiating position to give the Zimbabwe delegation time to take advice from President Robert Mugabe who has not travelled to the U-K for the meeting. Mugabe has supported the occupation of approximately 1-thousand white-owned farms, and has blamed Britain for the deteriorating situation in his country. Zimbabwe's opposition leaders say Mugabe orchestrated the farm occupations in an attempt to boost his flagging popularity before parliamentary elections, expected to be held next month. Mugabe's opponents also charge that the occupations were designed to hurt the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. Violence on the farms has led to the deaths of six black opposition supporters and two white farmers who supported the opposition. British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said that while his country acknowledges that colonial abuses must be corrected, Britain will not help unless the transfer is done legally and fairly. The so-called colonial abuses left one-third of the nation's productive land in the hands of white farmers. Britain has pulled out of previous agreements to help after charging that the land was mostly going to Mugabe's cronies and not to poor black Zimbabweans. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/7b94532d2f8861b136770f0072232490 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

• published: 21 Jul 2015
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