JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Sunday called on the international community to unite in condemning the re-election of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and said the opposition should now come to power.
Miliband, who is in South Africa for talks with thegovernment, visited a church in Johannesburg that housesthousands of refugees from neighbouring Zimbabwe, and said theworld had to act together to end their hardships.
"No one who meets the people here could do anything otherthan redouble their efforts to secure international consensusthat the Mugabe regime is not a legitimate representation ofthe will of the people of Zimbabwe," Miliband said on Radio702.
"It is imperative that a government be formed with respectto the 29th of March result because this is now a crisis andit's affecting the whole of southern Africa," Miliband said.
Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the opposition Movementfor Democratic Change, beat Mugabe in the March presidentialelection, but not by enough votes to avoid a run-off. Mugabewon the second round vote late last month after Tsvangiraipulled out citing state-sponsored violence against hissupporters.
Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe for 28 years, has beendefiant in the face of growing condemnation from Westerngovernments and some African neighbours. President Thabo Mbekiof regional powerhouse South Africa has been criticised at homeand abroad for his quiet diplomacy approach to the crisis.
Mbeki, acting as regional mediator, met Mugabe on Saturdayto try to help end the turmoil. Tsvangirai, who has accusedMbeki of siding with Mugabe, declined to meet with him.
Britain said last week it was preparing tougher sanctionsagainst specific members of the Zimbabwean government.
South African foreign affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa saidin a statement Miliband would meet with his South Africancounterpart Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and other senior governmentofficials from Monday, and Zimbabwe would be on the agenda.
Miliband will not meet with Mbeki, who will be attending asummit of the Group of Eight rich nations in Japan.
(Reporting by Phumza Macanda; Editing by Caroline Drees)