Zimbabwe in focus as international pressure mounts

By Cris Chinaka

HARARE (Reuters) - Britain and the heads of the United Nations and African Union raised the crisis in Zimbabwe at a summit of Security Council and African leaders on Wednesday, thwarting efforts by South Africa's government to block it.

South African President Thabo Mbeki, who chaired the meeting at U.N. headquarters as rotating Security Council president, insists there is no crisis in neighboring Zimbabwe, and wanted to keep the post-election deadlock off the agenda.

But back at home, Mbeki's political rival Jacob Zuma, who ousted him as head of the ruling African National Congress in December and is gaining influence at his expense, backed international criticism of the delay in announcing results to the March 29 elections.

"The region cannot afford a deepening crisis in Zimbabwe. The situation is more worrying now given the reported violence that has erupted," he said in a speech in Johannesburg, his toughest comments yet on the issue.

South Africa is the region's political heavyweight, and its influence is considered vital in resolving the standoff between Zimbabwe's veteran leader Robert Mugabe and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, which says it has won the vote.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain, Zimbabwe's former colonial power, told the summit, "No one thinks, having seen the results of polling stations, that President Mugabe has won."

"Let a single clear message go out from here in New York that we ... stand solidly behind democracy and human rights for Zimbabwe," he said.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the gathering he was deeply concerned by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission's failure to publish the results of the poll.

"Absent a transparent solution to this impasse, the situation could deteriorate further with serious implications for the people of Zimbabwe," he said.

RESOLVING TURMOIL

Zimbabwe's economy is in ruins, with 80 percent unemployment, chronic food shortages, and the world's worst rate of inflation of almost 165,000 percent.

Critics blame Mugabe for the economic crisis and say the country's misery will only end when he is replaced.

Mbeki says the turmoil can be resolved through the Southern Africa Development Community, which has avoided a tough stand and for which he has unsuccessfully mediated in Zimbabwe in the past.

Without mentioning South Africa or SADC by name, Ban made clear he was not satisfied with this approach.

"The Zimbabwean authorities and the countries of the region have insisted that these matters are for the region to resolve but the international community continues to watch and wait for decisive action," Ban said.