INSTANT VIEW: Zimbabwe's Tsvangirai abandons poll

(Reuters) - Below is reaction to the announcement by Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai that he is pulling out of the June 27 presidential election run-off against President Robert Mugabe.

SUSAN BOOYSEN, POLITICAL ANALYST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE

WITWATERSRAND

"It is unfortunate because they (the MDC) were forced into it. But I can completely understand it given that these were elections going nowhere.

"By withdrawing now I think they are making the point strongly of the illegitimacy of these elections and the futility of going into the elections given that it will not bring democratic government.

"This does hand Mugabe the election on a platter and make Mugabe the constitutionally, legally elected president of the country, but on the other hand this election is a farce.

"There is no chance at all of this election being declared free and fair.

"Even if the MDC has been "allowed" to win this election by ZANU-PF...there is no way that election would have brought the MDC to power because it is a really a military junta that is governing that country.

"Now with the MDC withdrawing I think it is back to negotiations."

PATRICK CHINAMASA, ZIMBABWE JUSTICE MINISTER

"Tsvangirai must write formally to ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) advising that he is withdrawing from the race, in which event there will be one candidate, meaning there will not be a poll. If he doesn't, the poll will take place."

"With respect to the reasons he gave for withdrawing, it is not true that it's due to political violence because it is his party that has been instigating violence.

"He spent a lot of time outside the country talking to people who do not vote.

On the legitimacy of Mugabe's apparent victory be default: "What legitimacy do you lose when a candidate withdraws, fearing defeat? The situation on the ground is now very supportive of us and Tsvangirai knows he faces certain defeat.

On calls for SADC, AU and UN intervention: "There's no genocide taking place anywhere, justifying any intervention. He's only saying that to bring foreign intervention in this country."

BRIAN RAFTOPOLOUS, POLITICAL ANALYST, ZIMBABWE INSTITUTE

"It is a bold statement, but he does appear to be leaving his options open. This sounds like a provisional pull-out. He's throwing the ball into Mbeki's court to see what he can do to salvage the situation.

"This was never going to be a free and fair election.

"This decision will reduce a lot of legitimacy from an already illegitimate government. Now, even the Africans will not legitimize Mugabe.

"International consensus on Mugabe is growing and this is going to have implications such as U.N. economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation.

"If Mbeki doesn't respond quickly and adequately, he could be pushed out of the mediation process.

JACOB MAFUME, POLITICAL ANALYST, CRISIS IN ZIMBABWE

COALITION

"The MDC had no option. The brutality is too much. It's now time for the regional leadership to show leadership on the issue."

MUKONI RATSHITANGA, SPOKESMAN FOR SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT

THABO MBEKI

"We are very encouraged that Mr. Tsvangirai, himself, says he is not closing the door completely on negotiations."

TOM CARGILL, MANAGER, AFRICA PROGRAMME, CHATHAM HOUSE

"It means Robert Mugabe is the legitimate president of Zimbabwe as far as the legal position is concerned. I think it will make it harder for regional leaders to press him because he can claim his position is on the basis of the constitution.

"There is no chance for the MDC to legitimately call for a government of national unity within the legal system of Zimbabwe. They can rightly claim the process was abused but not the outcome because they did not go all the way.

"There is not a huge amount (regional countries) can do. What Mugabe has stressed since the year dot is sovereignty. Part of that is directed against Western colonial interests, but it can be as effectively directed against regional leaders.

"Mugabe's aura of invincibility has still been destroyed by the election, within the region and to some extent in Zimbabwe.

"That myth has now gone, so that undermines his position. But bizarrely there is a train of thought that this helps in the transition in that he knows he wants to retire but will only go from a position from strength.

"They (the MDC) have been weakened by this. They've made some very bad strategic decisions in the past and their credibility is under question in the region but having said that they are the only opposition and so it gives them some support."

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(Writing by Gordon Bell; Editing by Matthew Tostevin)