Africa summit seek Zimbabwe talks, shows solidarity

By Katie Nguyen

DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - African leaders rallied around President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe on Thursday, ignoring calls for tougher action against him and suggesting dialogue as the solution to his country's deepening political crisis.

Mugabe has faced growing Western censure over the past two weeks after his police arrested political opponents who claimed they were severely beaten in custody, sparking calls for his neighbors to step up pressure on his regime.

But a special summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) urged the West to drop sanctions against Mugabe's government and appealed to Britain to "honor its commitments" to fund land reforms in its former colony.

Leaders at the meeting also put South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki in charge of defusing Zimbabwe's deepening political crisis, leaving him to mediate between Mugabe and his opponents.

Summit host Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete said the regional grouping appealed to all sides in the dispute to "give this initiative a chance" and "exercise restraint and avoid anything that's going to inflame the situation".

"Excellent meeting," Mugabe said, clapping his hands as he left for the airport after the closed-door discussions.

Analysts say the veteran leader has been able to escape a public reprimand from his African peers by trading on his legacy as a leader of Africa's anti-colonial struggle.

The summit came two weeks after Zimbabwe police arrested opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and other members of his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) attempting to attend an anti-government prayer meeting.

That set off an international outcry. But, in contrast, African nations were muted in their criticism.

Mbeki's government, a regional powerhouse, has for long assumed a leading role in addressing Zimbabwe's troubles but been criticized for being ineffective.

Throughout the latest furor, Pretoria has insisted that the West's hardline approach is unnecessary.

The United States and the European Union have imposed "targeted" sanctions on Mugabe and his circle following a series of elections that the opposition says were rigged.

As the African leaders met, allegations of abuse by Mugabe's government grew.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said police were targeting ordinary Zimbabweans suspected of backing the opposition, doling out beatings to discourage the 83-year-old leader's opponents.

The United States, joining Britain and the European Union, condemned Zimbabwe police for briefly detaining opposition leaders on Wednesday for the second time in a month.