'Stop interfering in Zim affairs'

2008-07-07 12:24

Harare - A top lieutenant to Robert Mugabe told Western governments on Monday to stop interfering in Zimbabwean politics amid mounting international pressure on the president after his controversial re-election.

"We appeal to foreigners and external forces to leave the resolution of the Zimbabwe situation to Zimbabweans alone," Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told the state-run Herald newspaper.

"Britain, the United States and the European Union, in particular, should stop meddling in our affairs."

Western governments had refused to legitimise Mugabe's re-election in a June 27 poll that was boycotted by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai after deadly attacks on his followers.

US President George W Bush again on Monday dismissed the one-man election as a sham while the EU had said it would only deal with a government led by Tsvangirai who came top in a first round of voting in March.

Thabo Mbeki, the region's long-time mediator between the ruling Zanu-PF party and the opposition, held talks with Mugabe at the weekend and a breakaway MDC splinter faction but Tsvangirai refused to meet the South African president.

Chinamasa said that Western powers were trying to wreck the chances of a negotiated settlement.

"It is very evident that their hand is involved and complicating the smooth dialogue between ZANU-PF and the two MDC formations," he said.

"We are confident that if we are left to discuss this matter as Zimbabweans, we will find a solution sooner rather than later."

- AFP