AU chairperson, Mugabe to meet
05/05/2008 14:40  - (SA)  

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Addis Ababa - The chairperson of the African Union's executive, Jean Ping, was in Harare on Monday for talks with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on the country's electoral crisis, diplomats told AFP.

"The chairperson and his delegation arrived late on Sunday in Harare. The specifics of their schedule are not yet known, but it appears they should be seeing President Mugabe today," an African diplomat in Addis Ababa said on condition of anonymity.

South African President Thabo Mbeki spoke with Ping, the newly-elected chairperson of the AU commission, over the weekend and offered him the use of a specially chartered plane, another diplomat said.

Ping's visit to Harare comes amid pressing calls from the US for increased AU involvement in the Zimbabwean electoral crisis.

African countries have been divided over Zimbabwe, which has been mired in a bitter dispute since March 29 general polls.

Results released after five tense weeks indicate a run-off is needed between Mugabe and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai, but the opposition leader maintains he won outright in the first round.

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