Mugabe to confront critics at summit

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe willconfront his critics at a summit of the African Union onMonday, fresh from victory in a one-candidate election whichobservers said was scarred by violence and intimidation.

Heads of state of the body, meeting in Egypt, are likely topress him to enter talks with opposition leader MorganTsvangirai to end political crisis in a country whose economy,wrecked by hyperinflation, has produced millions of refugees.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has urged supportfor international action against Mugabe's government, includingU.N.-authorised sanctions and an arms embargo.

But the AU seems reluctant to back calls for sanctions,favouring instead a Kenyan-style power-sharing transition.

In an apparent response to pressure for talks, Mugabe saidin an inaugural speech on Sunday he was committed to dialoguewith the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Tsvangirai has said his party is also committed toAU-sponsored talks, although no negotiations have started. Buthe added he would ask the AU not to recognise Mugabe'sre-election.

The MDC said the AU should not welcome Mugabe at thesummit.

"I don't think it would be right for the African Union towelcome him after all he has done," Thokozani Khupe, MDC vicepresident, said in Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt.

"I think it is important that the African leaders break thesilence. It is high time they call a spade a spade."

She said she had no plans to talk to the Zimbabweandelegation on the sidelines of the summit. Officials in Hararesaid Mugabe was due to leave for Egypt late on Sunday night.

The Egyptian summit may be split between critics of Mugabe,like Kenya, and opponents of any action against him led bySouth African President Thabo Mbeki, who has been widelycriticised for taking a soft line with his neighbour.

NEW MANDATE

Kenya's Prime Minister Raila Odinga was quoted as saying onSunday that the AU should deploy troops.

"What is happening in Zimbabwe is a shame and anembarrassment to Africa in the eyes of the internationalcommunity and should be denounced," he said.

But AU security chief Ramtane Lamamra played down theprospects of peacekeepers being sent.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said it was importantthe two parties talked, adding it was too soon to talk offoreign peacekeeping forces being sent to Zimbabwe.

"There has to be some sort of negotiations between theparties," he said. "If not, polarisation will be the result."

He added: "There cannot be a sustainable solution to theZimbabwean crisis under the leadership of one or the otherparty."

Djibouti Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf said Africahad to help prevent civil war in the country.

Mugabe began another five-year term on Sunday after beingdeclared overwhelming winner of an election which observerssaid was scarred by violence and intimidation.

Mugabe, 84 and in power since independence from Britain in1980, was quickly sworn in to allow him to attend the summit.

Tsvangirai withdrew a week before the election, saying asystematic campaign of violence had made a free and fair ballotimpossible. Mugabe won 85.51 percent of the votes, according tothe electoral commission.

Human rights groups and witnesses accused pro-Mugabemilitias of forcing people to vote in some areas.

Regional observers said the ballot did not reflect the willof Zimbabweans, adding that pre-election conditions fell shortof Southern African Development Community (SADC) principles andguidelines for elections.

Pan-African parliament observers said it was so flawed itshould be rerun.

(Writing by Gordon Bell and Barry Moody; editing by AndrewRoche)