Zimbabwe in focus as international pressure mounts

HARARE (Reuters) - Britain and the heads of the UnitedNations and African Union raised the crisis in Zimbabwe at asummit of Security Council and African leaders on Wednesday,thwarting efforts by South Africa's government to block it.

South African President Thabo Mbeki, who chaired themeeting at U.N. headquarters as rotating Security Councilpresident, insists there is no crisis in neighbouring Zimbabwe,and wanted to keep the post-election deadlock off the agenda.

But back at home, Mbeki's political rival Jacob Zuma, whoousted him as head of the ruling African National Congress inDecember and is gaining influence at his expense, backedinternational criticism of the delay in announcing results tothe March 29 elections.

"The region cannot afford a deepening crisis in Zimbabwe.The situation is more worrying now given the reported violencethat has erupted," he said in a speech in Johannesburg, histoughest comments yet on the issue.

South Africa is the region's political heavyweight, and itsinfluence is considered vital in resolving the standoff betweenZimbabwe's veteran leader Robert Mugabe and the oppositionMovement for Democratic Change, which says it has won the vote.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Zimbabwe's former colonialpower, told the summit, "No one thinks, having seen the resultsof polling stations, that President Mugabe has won."

"Let a single clear message go out from here in New Yorkthat we ... stand solidly behind democracy and human rights forZimbabwe," he said.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the gathering hewas deeply concerned by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission'sfailure to publish the results of the poll.

"Absent a transparent solution to this impasse, thesituation could deteriorate further with serious implicationsfor the people of Zimbabwe," he said.

RESOLVING TURMOIL

Zimbabwe's economy is in ruins, with 80 percentunemployment, chronic food shortages, and the world's worstrate of inflation of almost 165,000 percent.

Critics blame Mugabe for the economic crisis and say thecountry's misery will only end when he is replaced.

Mbeki says the turmoil can be resolved through the SouthernAfrica Development Community, which has avoided a tough standand for which he has unsuccessfully mediated in Zimbabwe in thepast.

Without mentioning South Africa or SADC by name, Ban madeclear he was not satisfied with this approach.

"The Zimbabwean authorities and the countries of the regionhave insisted that these matters are for the region to resolvebut the international community continues to watch and wait fordecisive action," Ban said.

Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, whose country chairsthe AU, praised the SADC for doing a "tremendous job ... toensure that the will of the people of Zimbabwe is respected."

U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said inWashington, "We would urge all states, including South Africaand neighbouring states ... that have an interest in seeingZimbabwe transition back to a democratic pathway, to use whatleverage they have to encourage President Mugabe to return tothat path."

A judge in Harare on Wednesday adjourned until Thursday ahearing on an application from the opposition MDC to block arecount of all votes cast in 23 out of 210 constituencies inthe March 29 parliamentary and presidential elections.

The MDC says the recount is another tactic by Mugabe todelay the election results while he orchestrates a campaign ofmilitia violence to intimidate opposition supporters. The HighCourt has already refused to order the Zimbabwe ElectoralCommission to release the presidential result.

The MDC, which handed Mugabe's ZANU-PF party its firstdefeat in the parliamentary poll, says Tsvangirai should bedeclared leader. ZANU-PF says Tsvangirai did not win anabsolute majority and a runoff will be necessary.

The MDC and human rights groups say independence warveterans and other pro-Mugabe militia have organised systematicviolence to try to ensure victory in a probable runoff.

An NGO called Zimbabwe Doctors for Human Rights said onWednesday it had treated 173 victims of organised violence andtorture between March 29 and April 14. It did not say who thevictims or perpetrators were.

The Security Council is not expected to take any action onZimbabwe because of resistance from South Africa and othercouncil members. But any discussion of the issue at the meetinghelps to boost the pressure on Mugabe, Western diplomats say.

(Additional reporting by Nelson Banya, MacDonald Dzirutwe,Muchena Zigomo in Harare; Louis Charbonneau and Patrick Worsnipin New York; Caroline Drees in Johannesburg; Writing byCaroline Drees; Editing by Stephen Weeks)