World News Story

09 January 2009 01:14 BST

UK and US diplomats 'confronted' in Zimbabwe

UK and US embassy officials have been confronted by police in Zimbabwe, reports claim.

The US ambassador to Zimbabwe, James McGee, told the BBC that the police had attempted to run the convoy of embassy staff off the road earlier on Thursday and that a driver was beaten up.

The BBC quotes Mr McGee as describing the incident as a "serious breach of protocol" and describing Zimbabwe as a "lawless country".

The US ambassador said the convoy had their tyres slashed and then at a road block had equipment stolen and were threatened to be burnt alive in their cars.

Four staff from the British embassy and ten from the US embassy were detained for several hours by the police, Mr McGee said.

Foreign secretary David Miliband told reporters this afternoon that none of the diplomats had been harmed in the "serious incident".

Mr Miliband claimed that today's confrontation gave a "window into the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans" claiming that "this sort of intimidation" was a daily occurrence for local residents.

"It's a window into lives that in some cases are marked by brutal intimidation, by torture and, in fifty three cases that have been documented over the last few weeks, by death," he said.

The foreign secretary claimed that the argument in Zimbabwe at present was not between Zimbabwe and Britain but about "two different visions" for the future of the country.

He also called on the international community to ensure that the presidential run-off on June 27th was monitored and properly accredited.

The White House issued a slightly stronger-worded statement this afternoon describing the incident as "outrageous" and "completely unacceptable".

The officials were visiting Zimbabwe ahead of the upcoming presidential run-off between president Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Mr Tsvangirai was detained by police officers on Wednesday and only released after the intervention of South African president Thabo Mbeki.