Critics of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe are renewing calls for international action against his government.
Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga said the African Union should deploy troops in Zimbabwe to help resolve the crisis there.
South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu said a "very good argument" could
be made for an international force to restore peace in the country
following its violent run-off election. Speaking to British radio, Tutu
called on the African Union to send what he called a powerful signal by
unanimously rejecting a new Mugabe administration.
But African Union officials said today that sending troops or
peacekeepers to Zimbabwe is not likely. AU foreign ministers meeting in
Egypt Saturday called for dialogue between Zimbabwe's government and
the opposition.
AU officials also said Zimbabwe is not officially on the agenda of the
African Union summit thatis set to take place Monday in Egypt. Mr.
Mugabe has indicated he will attend that meeting.
In Beijing, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sought China's
support for an armsembargo on Zimbabwe. Speaking to reporters, she
said it makes sense to deny the Zimbabwean government the means to
attack its own people.
Chinese Foreign Minister Yan Jiechi did not comment on the U.S.
proposal. He said the most pressing task is to stabilize Zimbabwe.
US President George Bush vowed Saturday to take new action against
Zimbabwe's government for what he called a "sham election" that ignored
the will of the people.
Zimbabwean officials reject that characterization. A spokesman for Mr. Mugabe's ZANU-PF party (Bright Matonga) told al-Jazeera television today that "Zimbabweans have spoken" by voting overwhelmingly to re-elect Mr. Mugabe.