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