Zim must end violence - US
2008-05-13 09:32
Special Report
A new team of SA mediators have held their first talks with Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe in a fresh bid to ease tensions within the strained unity government, a report says.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe says he doesn't expect the US sanctions on his country to be lifted soon.
Washington - A senior US official says a guarantee by Zimbabwe of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's safety should be a condition for holding an election run-off.
Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer told reporters on Monday that Zimbabwe must end what she called state-sponsored violence against the opposition.
She is also calling for a large number of election monitors to be sent to rural areas. She says the United States wants the international press allowed in to cover the elections.
Her comments come as the US ambassador to Zimbabwe says there is undeniable evidence that Robert Mugabe's party is driving a systematic campaign of violence intended to intimidate opposition supporters before a run-off presidential election.
- AP