Mugabe picks poll monitors
2005-02-19 22:00
Harare - Russia is the only European country among 32 nations invited by President Robert Mugabe to observe next month's crunch parliamentary elections in Zimbabwe, state radio reported on Saturday, quoting Foreign Minister Stan Mudenge.
The minister unveiled the much-awaited list of foreign observers at a news conference in the southern town of Masvingo, according to the radio report.
"Mudenge made it clear that European Union countries such as Britain and her allies were not invited since they are hostile to Zimbabwe and have already made their own pre-judgement of the elections," it said.
The EU slapped "smart sanctions" on Mugabe and his inner circle shortly after the 2002 presidential polls which international observers said were tainted with fraud and voter intimidation.
It was not immediately known when the invitations were sent out but South Africa on Tuesday voiced concern over the delay in inviting observers from the region.
According to democratic electoral guidelines pencilled last year by all members of the 14-member Southern African Development Community (SADC), invitations should be extended 90 days before elections.
Of the 32 invited countries, 23 are from Africa, five from Asia, three from the Americas and Russia.
The African Union (AU), the SADC, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations are among the regional and international organisations to which invitations have been extended.
South Africa's African National Congress (ANC), Tanzania's Chama Chama Pinduzi and Mozambique's Frelimo are some of the liberation movements coming to witness the closely watched polls.
Foreign diplomats based in Harare wishing to observe the polls will "be accredited upon request" by the foreign ministry.