| The Australian government is considering | | | | tour must be canceled. |
| legal action to stop the country's national | | | | |
| cricket team from playing in Zimbabwe later | | | | "The fact is, the Australian cricket team is |
| this year. Officials are determined to stop | | | | caught in a political situation of no making |
| the cricket world champions from appearing to | | | | of its own. And that is that if it were to go |
| give support to Zimbabwean President Robert | | | | to Zimbabwe, it would create great political |
| Mugabe. From Sydney, Phil Mercer reports. | | | | controversy," he said. "Back here in |
| | | | Australia, there's no doubt that in Zimbabwe, |
| The Australian government says that if its | | | | President Mugabe and his regime would make |
| cricketers traveled to Zimbabwe, it would | | | | propaganda capital out of such a visit." |
| hand a propaganda victory to President Robert | | | | |
| Mugabe. | | | | Canberra has been one of the sternest critics |
| | | | of the Mugabe regime, and Australia's |
| The Australian national team won the cricket | | | | cricketers have canceled previous tours to |
| World Cup in the Caribbean last month, giving | | | | Zimbabwe. |
| it an especially high profile. Canberra wants | | | | |
| no hint that Australia supports the Mugabe | | | | In 2005, the government of neighboring New |
| regime, which has been accused of sweeping | | | | Zealand refused to issue visas to the |
| human rights violations and of leading the | | | | Zimbabwe team as a protest against the Mugabe |
| country into despair and chaos. | | | | government. |
| | | | |
| Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has even | | | | But Australian cricket executives say they |
| offered to pay a $2 million fine that might | | | | are dealing with "a very difficult and |
| be imposed by cricket's world governing body | | | | complex issue." |
| if the trip were abandoned. | | | | |
| | | | They say that while they are aware of their |
| Downer has held emergency talks with | | | | government's concerns, they do have to |
| Australian cricket officials. The government | | | | fulfill international obligations. |
| is also looking into taking legal action to | | | | |
| prevent the team from playing in Zimbabwe if | | | | Australia's tour of the southern African |
| no agreement can be reached. | | | | nation would include three one-day matches, |
| | | | and is scheduled to start in September. |
| Downer has told parliament that the proposed | | | | |