December 10, 2007 (LPAC)--German Chancellor Angela Merkel and "Gordon's Gang of Four" are set straight by African leaders for their attacks on Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe at the European Union-African summit. Merkel along with the prime ministers of the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden did the dirty work of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who stayed away from the summit. Merkel said European leaders were "united" in their criticism of Mugabe.

Mugabe, according to a report in The Times, said that Merkel was "harming the image of Africa," charging that these were "trumped-up changes" of "Gordon's gang of four." He said, "They criticize Zimbabwe and human rights in contradiction to the position of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) of 14 nations and the African Union. Does the German Chancellor believe she has better knowledge than the SADC?" He then said that Gordon Brown was not there, but had "megaphones, who speak not from their own hearts, but say what No. 10 Downing Street will be pleased to hear." He concluded by saying, "the British are masters of Germany."

The Mail & Guardian reports that Ghanaian President John Kufuor also came to Mugabe's defense saying, that the African Union supports mediation efforts among Zimbabwe's neighbors led by South African President Thabo Mbeki. "We want to encourage a home grown solution, so there will be a restoration of normalcy and good governance for the people of Zimbabwe, Kufuor said, making clear that outside interference was not helpful.