New Zealand obliged to tour Zimbabwe, says minister

Zimbabwe's sports minister, David Coltart, has said New Zealand have an obligation to tour his country and that if needed, he will travel to New Zealand to persuade the government. New Zealand prime minister John Key this week said he was prepared to order the team not to tour in July on safety and health grounds, but Coltart said the tour would benefit Zimbabwe.

"My call to the New Zealanders is clear and unequivocal," Coltart told AP. "People have to give this coalition government a chance, and that applies to all levels, cricket included. I would like to see the New Zealand team touring Zimbabwe. If it need be I will go to New Zealand to persuade them to come.

"I am not turning a blind eye to the inadequacies in our cricket and our country," Coltart said. "My call must not be interpreted that way. My call is in the interest of the public, the players and cricket in Zimbabwe. My call is in terms of sportsmanship."

Coltart was hopeful that the new coalition government, led by Morgan Tsvangirai, would improve the political climate. "We will look at the wider political issues seriously. My wish is that by the time they [New Zealand] are scheduled to come in July these issues would have been addressed," he said.

However Key remained firm in his stance. "We are considering the options available to the Government, but in our view, Zimbabwe represents a significant risk for the Black Caps," Key said in the New Zealand Herald.

New Zealand toured Zimbabwe in 2005 despite public comments from the then prime minister Helen Clark that she did not want the trip going ahead. She stopped short of barring the team from going, although John Howard did ban the Australian side from travelling there in 2007, and it looks likely that Key will take the same course.