KEY POINTS:
The Government has praised New Zealand Cricket for voting for Zimbabwe to be suspended from the International Cricket Council.
However, in a letter to NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan, Sports Minister Clayton Cosgrove urges the body not to let the Black Caps tour Zimbabwe next year.
Mr Cosgrove wrote about the deplorable situation in Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe, human rights abuses and recent farce of an election.
He told Mr Vaughan the Government strongly supported NZC's action in voting to suspend Zimbabwe at the ICC annual conference last week in Dubai.
It would be contrary for the well-being of Zimbabwe citizens to participate in sporting contacts, Mr Cosgrove wrote.
"We would hope that NZC would take the current human rights situation into account before reaching its own decision on whether to proceed with the tour."
He said any tour would assist the Mugabe regime and the Black Caps could face safety issues.
However the Government has ruled out paying the ICC fine of up to $3 million NZC would face for pulling out of its obligations. Apart from the fine, NZC would be up for compensation which could be as much as $18 million.
Mr Vaughan said NZC had confidence in the process the ICC was working through looking at Zimbabwe's membership. After the ICC annual conference, Zimbabwe said it would voluntarily withdraw from next year's Twenty20 World Cup in England.
The ICC had set up a committee to undertake a fact-finding review on all aspects of Zimbabwean cricket.
"With our scheduled tour to Zimbabwe being 12 months away, it is premature to talk about whether or not the Black Caps will be touring there next year," Mr Vaughan said. "A lot can happen in that time, either through the ICC process or domestically within Zimbabwe."
Prime Minister Helen Clark repeated yesterday that the Government would not help with fines or compensation.
"We have no intention of putting millions of dollars in the way of Zimbabwe Cricket Association taking those funds to Mugabe."
"Next year is a long time away. One can only hope mediation ... might lead to a transitional government which will enable Zimbabwe to move forward with leadership in which Zimbabweans have more confidence."
Green Party MP Keith Locke says the Government should pay whatever fine was imposed by the ICC.
- NZPA
