Bush denounces Zim 'sham'

2008-07-07 10:50

Toyako - US President George W Bush said on Monday after meeting African leaders on the margin of a rich nations summit that he was "extremely disappointed" with Zimbabwe's "sham" election.

"I care deeply about the people of Zimbabwe, I am extremely disappointed in the election, which I labelled a sham election," Bush said with African Union chief and Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.

Bush praised Kikwete as "a really good friend of the American people and a great leader in Africa" and announced that the Tanzanian leader was coming to the White House in late August.

Kikwete said he was looking forward to the visit and thanked Bush for US help in battling HIV/Aids and malaria and promoting Tanzanian economic development. But he said the United States and the African Union disagreed on Zimbabwe.

"We understand your concerns. I want to assure you that the concerns you have expressed are indeed the concerns of many of us in (the) African continent," he said, and "the only area that we may differ is on the way forward."

"We are saying no party can govern alone in Zimbabwe and therefore the parties have to work together, come out to work together in a government and then look at the future of their country together," said Kikwete.

They spoke after Group of Eight summit host Japan said leaders of the industrial nations meeting here were poised to ramp up pressure on Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe's re-election on June 27 was widely denounced as a sham. Main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who won the first round but fell short of a majority, pulled out of the contest, citing a campaign of violence and intimidation.

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, chair of the three-day summit, discussed Zimbabwe with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and German Chancellor Angela Merkel ahead of a meeting between G8 and African leaders.

Brown, who has been outspoken over developments in the former British colony, told Fukuda it was "important to send a strong message to secure democracy in Zimbabwe", a Japanese government official said.

Fukuda told Brown that he shared his concerns and replied: "It is necessary for the G8 to have firm discussions on the issue and consider measures".

- AFP