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Robert Mugabe expected to attend Pope Francis's inauguration mass
Source: The Guardian
Robert Mugabe expected to attend Pope Francis's inauguration mass
Zimbabwean president is subject to EU travel ban, but Italy has
agreement with Vatican to allow in visitors to papal state
Lizzy Davies in Rome
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 17 March 2013 17.15 GMT
He came to John Paul II's funeral – where he shook hands with Prince Philip – and he was also in attendance at the late pontiff's beatification ceremony. So it should come as no surprise that Robert Mugabe, the president of Zimbabwe accused of widespread human rights abuses, is expected at the inauguration mass for Pope Francis on Tuesday.
The Italian news agency Ansa reported that Mugabe, who has declared himself to be a devout Catholic, would be arriving at Rome's Fiumicino airport on Monday. A presidential source in Zimbabwe confirmed to AFP that the 89-year-old would be attending the mass.
Mugabe is subject to an EU travel ban, but it does not apply to the Vatican and Italy has a long-standing agreement with the papal state – which has no airport – to allow its visitors to cross Italian territory.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Zimbabwean president is subject to EU travel ban, but Italy has
agreement with Vatican to allow in visitors to papal state
Lizzy Davies in Rome
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 17 March 2013 17.15 GMT
He came to John Paul II's funeral – where he shook hands with Prince Philip – and he was also in attendance at the late pontiff's beatification ceremony. So it should come as no surprise that Robert Mugabe, the president of Zimbabwe accused of widespread human rights abuses, is expected at the inauguration mass for Pope Francis on Tuesday.
The Italian news agency Ansa reported that Mugabe, who has declared himself to be a devout Catholic, would be arriving at Rome's Fiumicino airport on Monday. A presidential source in Zimbabwe confirmed to AFP that the 89-year-old would be attending the mass.
Mugabe is subject to an EU travel ban, but it does not apply to the Vatican and Italy has a long-standing agreement with the papal state – which has no airport – to allow its visitors to cross Italian territory.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/17/robert-mugabe-pope-francis-inauguration
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