Zimbabwe election pressure continues to build

Robert Mugabe faces renewed pressure from the international community

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Thursday, 17, Apr 2008 12:33

Zimbabwe's opposition leader has called for South African president Thano Mbeki to be relieved of his position as mediator in the country's election crisis.

Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai called for Mr Mbeki to be replaced by Zambian president Levy Mwanawasa.

During a news conference in Johannesburg today, Mr Tsvangirai said: "We want to thank President Mbeki for all of his efforts but President Mbeki needs to be relieved of his duties."

Earlier, the G8 group of nations became the latest international organisation to add to pressure on Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe over last month's presidential elections.

Nearly three weeks since voting on March 29th the African country's electoral commission has not yet released results of the presidential poll, to criticism from the international community.

A statement from the G8's foreign ministers called for a "speedy, credible and genuinely democratic resolution" to the current standoff.

It demanded that the results be released "in accordance with the due process of law" and, according to the Reuters news agency, added that ministers "stress that violence and intimidation must have no place in this process".

The statement comes after UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon spoke out against Mr Mugabe on the issue at a high-level security council meeting.

He warned a further deterioration would have "serious implications" for the people of Zimbabwe and the entire continent, saying: "The credibility of the democratic process in Africa could be at stake here."

Mr Ban added: "The Zimbabwean authorities and the countries of the region have insisted that these matters are for the region to resolve, but the international community continues to watch and wait for decisive action."

Yesterday UK prime minister Gordon Brown also spoke out at the UN, declaring that "no one believes" Mr Mugabe was the victor on March 29th.

"A stolen election would not be a democratic election at all," he pressed.