EU calls for swift Zimbabwe transition

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso called on Wednesday for a swift transition to democracy in Zimbabwe, saying people there had voted for change from President Robert Mugabe's rule.

In the EU's strongest criticism yet of the handling of the March 29 election, Barroso said he was "very concerned" by delays in the release of results of the presidential poll.

"One thing should be made very clear to Mr. Mugabe and his entourage: the people of Zimbabwe want a change, they want democracy, they want freedom, they want to be able to tackle poverty and the economic chaos they are living through," he told a news conference on EU development aid policies.

"I would now hope that all those who have a role to play would be able to contribute to a peaceful transition under stable circumstances towards a fully democratic situation."

"We need to do everything we can to avoid a deterioration of the situation."

Barroso called on countries in the region to help the transition process and said the international community including the European Union was prepared to help Zimbabweans tackle the extreme poverty in which they find themselves.

WESTERN POWERS

Mugabe is trying to delay the result announcement, pending a recount, to give him time to prepare for a probable runoff against Morgan Tsvangirai.

Western powers led by former colonial ruler Britain and the United States have been calling for the result since last week.

Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change has gone to court to try to force out the result, saying Tsvangirai has won and should be declared president, ending Mugabe's 28-year rule.

However, George Chikumbirike, a lawyer for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, said on Wednesday it would be "dangerous" for the High Court to order the release of the results.

He did not elaborate but appeared to be referring to rising tension in Zimbabwe because of the post-election impasse.

The MDC says Mugabe has unleashed a wave of violence against the opposition since the election and called on African nations to intervene to prevent further bloodshed.

Mugabe's critics blame him for reducing the population to misery by mismanagement that has ruined the Zimbabwean economy, now suffering the world's highest hyper-inflation, chronic shortages of food and fuel and a near worthless currency.