By Emelia Sithole-Matarise
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's presidential run-offelection must be called off because a free and fair vote isimpossible, ruling ZANU-PF party defector Simba Makoni said onTuesday.
Makoni's statement came after a similar call by U.S.-basedHuman Rights Watch, which said brutal intimidation and murderby supporters of President Robert Mugabe made normalcampaigning impossible for the June 27 poll.
An EU-U.S. summit in Slovenia on Tuesday called on theZimbabwe government "immediately to cease the state-sponsoredviolence and intimidation against its people."
It urged U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to sendmonitors to Zimbabwe to deter further violence.
Makoni, who challenged Mugabe in disputed March 29elections, told reporters in Johannesburg that oppositionleader Morgan Tsvangirai must negotiate a five-yeartransitional government.
"Normal political conduct and behaviour is not possible inthe circumstances within Zimbabwe at the moment. I don'tbelieve we can have free elections under these circumstancesthat's why we are suggesting that the run-off will not takeplace," he said.
A South African newspaper reported on Tuesday that ZANU-PFand Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were incrisis talks that could lead to cancellation of the poll.
Makoni, a former finance minister, came a distant third inthe March election in which Tsvangirai beat Mugabe but failedto reach the absolute majority needed to avoid a second round.
Human Rights Watch said on Monday a free and fair poll wasimpossible because of a systematic campaign of murder andtorture unleashed by ZANU-PF in which at least 36 people haddied. Some 2,000 people were victims of violence.
MUGABE BLAMES OPPOSITION
Mugabe blames his foes for the violence.
Jacob Zuma, leader of the ruling party in Zimbabwe'spowerful neighbour South Africa, said during a tour of India onTuesday that he was alarmed and anxious about the reports ofviolence and called on ZANU-PF to ensure free politicalactivity.
South Africa's Business Day newspaper, quoting negotiatorsfor both sides, said on Tuesday:
"ZANU-PF and the opposition ... are engaged in 11th hourtalks -- mediated by President Thabo Mbeki -- to salvage asolution to the political stalemate, which may includecancelling a proposed presidential run-off election."
Business Day quoted the negotiators as saying the run-offmight be too "dicey".
They were looking at various options including a nationalunity government led by Mugabe, with Tsvangirai as primeminister -- similar to the solution found for Kenya's bloodycrisis earlier this year.
This idea was previously rejected by the MDC.
Makoni said he was involved in consultations between thetwo sides but they could not be described as negotiations. Hecalled for this process to be accelerated.
Mbeki spokesman Mukoni Ratshitanga said he was unaware ofthe talks.
Zuma, who has been outspoken about the Zimbabwe crisis, isfrontrunner to succeed Mbeki next year after toppling him asleader of the ruling African National Congress (ANC). Thelatter has been widely criticised for his softly softlyapproach to Mugabe.
(Additional reporting by Stella Mapenzauswa; Writing byBarry Moody; Editing by Matthew Tostevin)
