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| UN chief urges Harare poll delay | UN chief urges Harare poll delay |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said Zimbabwe's presidential elections should be postponed following the withdrawal of the opposition candidate. | UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said Zimbabwe's presidential elections should be postponed following the withdrawal of the opposition candidate. |
| Speaking ahead of a Security Council meeting in New York, Mr Ban said Morgan Tsvangirai's decision to pull-out of the 27 June run-off was understandable. | Speaking ahead of a Security Council meeting in New York, Mr Ban said Morgan Tsvangirai's decision to pull-out of the 27 June run-off was understandable. |
| He condemned the campaign of violence and intimidation by government forces as "against the spirit of democracy". | He condemned the campaign of violence and intimidation by government forces as "against the spirit of democracy". |
| Earlier, Mr Tsvangirai took refuge in the Dutch embassy in Harare. | Earlier, Mr Tsvangirai took refuge in the Dutch embassy in Harare. |
| A Dutch foreign ministry spokesman said Mr Tsvangirai had spent the night at the embassy as he feared for his safety but had not requested asylum. | A Dutch foreign ministry spokesman said Mr Tsvangirai had spent the night at the embassy as he feared for his safety but had not requested asylum. |
| 'Too much violence' | 'Too much violence' |
| Mr Ban said if the run-off took place as scheduled on Friday, it would only "deepen divisions within the country and produce a result that cannot be credible". | |
| UN chief says he is "distressed" by the situation in Zimbabwe | UN chief says he is "distressed" by the situation in Zimbabwe |
| "Conditions do not exist for free and fair elections right now in Zimbabwe," he said. | "Conditions do not exist for free and fair elections right now in Zimbabwe," he said. |
| "There has been too much violence, too much intimidation." | "There has been too much violence, too much intimidation." |
| He said the world had witnessed "fear, hostility and blatant attacks" against Zimbabwe's people. | He said the world had witnessed "fear, hostility and blatant attacks" against Zimbabwe's people. |
| After discussing the issues with a number of African leaders, he said he strongly advised President Robert Mugabe's leadership to postpone the election until the right conditions were in place for people to vote freely and fairly. | After discussing the issues with a number of African leaders, he said he strongly advised President Robert Mugabe's leadership to postpone the election until the right conditions were in place for people to vote freely and fairly. |
| Mr Ban added that what happened in Zimbabwe had significance beyond its borders and was the "single greatest challenge to regional stability". | Mr Ban added that what happened in Zimbabwe had significance beyond its borders and was the "single greatest challenge to regional stability". |
| 'Next step' | 'Next step' |
| Bert Koenders, the Dutch Development Co-operation Minister, told the BBC that Mr Tsvangirai would stay at their Harare embassy for the timebeing. | Bert Koenders, the Dutch Development Co-operation Minister, told the BBC that Mr Tsvangirai would stay at their Harare embassy for the timebeing. |
ZIMBABWE AND ITS NEIGHBOURS | ZIMBABWE AND ITS NEIGHBOURS |
| Zimbabwe's opposition is hoping neighbouring countries will put pressure on President Robert Mugabe to step down. In the past they supported him. How are relations now? | Zimbabwe's opposition is hoping neighbouring countries will put pressure on President Robert Mugabe to step down. In the past they supported him. How are relations now? |
| South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki is the key Zimbabwe mediator. He has refused to criticise Robert Mugabe but the ruling ANC and trade unions have urged him to take a stronger line. | South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki is the key Zimbabwe mediator. He has refused to criticise Robert Mugabe but the ruling ANC and trade unions have urged him to take a stronger line. |
| Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa has taken the region's strongest line on Zimbabwe. He says Zimbabwe is a regional "embarrassment". | Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa has taken the region's strongest line on Zimbabwe. He says Zimbabwe is a regional "embarrassment". |
| Angola's President Jose Eduardo dos Santos is one of Robert Mugabe's closest allies - they fought colonialism together in the 1970s. He has urged Mr Mugabe to stop the violence. | Angola's President Jose Eduardo dos Santos is one of Robert Mugabe's closest allies - they fought colonialism together in the 1970s. He has urged Mr Mugabe to stop the violence. |
| Botswana has summoned a Zimbabwean envoy to complain about the political violence. It has been supportive of Zimbabwe's opposition. | Botswana has summoned a Zimbabwean envoy to complain about the political violence. It has been supportive of Zimbabwe's opposition. |
| Namibia is a close ally of Zimbabwe - it, too, is planning to redistribute white-owned farms to black villagers. It has not criticised the election violence. | Namibia is a close ally of Zimbabwe - it, too, is planning to redistribute white-owned farms to black villagers. It has not criticised the election violence. |
| Mozambique has hosted some white farmers forced from Zimbabwe and is seen as relatively sympathetic to Zimbabwe's opposition. | Mozambique has hosted some white farmers forced from Zimbabwe and is seen as relatively sympathetic to Zimbabwe's opposition. |
| Tanzania's ruling party has a long history of close ties to Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party and its foreign minister has condemned the violence. | Tanzania's ruling party has a long history of close ties to Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party and its foreign minister has condemned the violence. |
| DR Congo's President Joseph Kabila is an ally of Robert Mugabe, who sent troops to help his father, Laurent Kabila, fight rebels. | DR Congo's President Joseph Kabila is an ally of Robert Mugabe, who sent troops to help his father, Laurent Kabila, fight rebels. |
| Malawi is seen as neutral. But some 3m people of Malawian origin are in Zimbabwe, mostly farmworkers who have lost their jobs and were often assaulted during farm invasions. | Malawi is seen as neutral. But some 3m people of Malawian origin are in Zimbabwe, mostly farmworkers who have lost their jobs and were often assaulted during farm invasions. |
| BACKNEXT1 of 9 | BACKNEXT1 of 9 |
| "I think he feels very safe, he's quietly preparing himself for the next steps he has to take," he said. | "I think he feels very safe, he's quietly preparing himself for the next steps he has to take," he said. |
| "I'm sure that he's thinking exactly about the issues that have been just raised by the secretary general, which is making clear that these elections cannot be legitimate at present. | "I'm sure that he's thinking exactly about the issues that have been just raised by the secretary general, which is making clear that these elections cannot be legitimate at present. |
| Zimbabwean officials have said the second round will still go ahead. | Zimbabwean officials have said the second round will still go ahead. |
| But Botswana's Foreign Minister Pando Skelemani said leaders of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) would have to decide whether Zimbabwe could have a legitimate president in the current political climate. | But Botswana's Foreign Minister Pando Skelemani said leaders of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) would have to decide whether Zimbabwe could have a legitimate president in the current political climate. |
| "If in fact the atmosphere for an election is not free and fair you then can't have someone having won," he told the BBC. | "If in fact the atmosphere for an election is not free and fair you then can't have someone having won," he told the BBC. |
| "It would be the same as if you had been through the election and they are declared not free and fair, then you are back at square one." | "It would be the same as if you had been through the election and they are declared not free and fair, then you are back at square one." |
| Mr Tsvangirai says pressure from the UN and Sadc could force Mr Mugabe to give up power. | Mr Tsvangirai says pressure from the UN and Sadc could force Mr Mugabe to give up power. |
| "My assessment is that if there is a collective position by all Sadc leaders, that would be sufficient pressure - that voice is essential," he told US National Public Radio. | "My assessment is that if there is a collective position by all Sadc leaders, that would be sufficient pressure - that voice is essential," he told US National Public Radio. |
| "The conditions of the Security Council on Zimbabwe has one outcome that we will expect... to appoint a mission to investigate the level of abuses that have taken place - rape, torture, murder - and the various human rights abuse that has taken place." | "The conditions of the Security Council on Zimbabwe has one outcome that we will expect... to appoint a mission to investigate the level of abuses that have taken place - rape, torture, murder - and the various human rights abuse that has taken place." |
| Supporters held | Supporters held |
| On Monday, more than 60 supporters of Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party were arrested at its Harare headquarters. | On Monday, more than 60 supporters of Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party were arrested at its Harare headquarters. |
| MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said those arrested were women and children who had fled political violence. | MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said those arrested were women and children who had fled political violence. |
| Zimbabwean police told AFP news agency they had only moved 39 people from the building for "hygiene reasons". | Zimbabwean police told AFP news agency they had only moved 39 people from the building for "hygiene reasons". |
| President Mugabe and Zanu-PF blame the opposition for political violence across the country. | President Mugabe and Zanu-PF blame the opposition for political violence across the country. |
| The MDC won the parliamentary vote in March, and claims to have won the first round of the presidential contest outright. | The MDC won the parliamentary vote in March, and claims to have won the first round of the presidential contest outright. |
| According to official results, Mr Tsvangirai led but failed to gain enough votes to avoid a run-off. | According to official results, Mr Tsvangirai led but failed to gain enough votes to avoid a run-off. |