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Botswana denounces Mugabe victory African call for Zimbabwe unity
(20 minutes later)
The vice-president of Botswana has strongly condemned the president of neighbouring Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, over last week's election run-off. African leaders have urged Zimbabwe's leadership and opposition to form a national unity government, following last week's disputed election.
Mompati Merfahe said the vote "did not reflect the unfettered will of the people" and Zimbabwe should be excluded from African Union and regional talks. The call was made at an African Union summit, which also saw strong criticism of Zimbabwe by Botswana.
The statement was made at an African Union summit in Egypt. President Robert Mugabe won the presidential election run-off. It was boycotted by the opposition, which cited widespread violence.
A spokesman for Mr Mugabe, who won the poll boycotted by the opposition, said Western critics could "go hang". Both sides have since ruled out forming a power-sharing government.
"Botswana's position is that the outcome of these elections does not confer legitimacy on the government of President Mugabe," Mr Merafhe told the summit in Sharm el-Sheikh. Delegates at the AU summit said a resolution calling for a government of national unity for Zimbabwe had been approved to resolve the crisis.
This is the sharpest criticism of the election expressed at the meeting. However, briefing reporters earlier, Mr Mugabe's spokesman was asked whether Zimbabwe should follow Kenya and create a government of national unity.
The BBC's Martin Plaut, who is at the summit, says it is rare for African leaders to address each other across the conference floor in such unguarded terms.
Earlier, briefing reporters, Mr Mugabe's spokesman was asked whether Zimbabwe should follow Kenya and create a government of national unity.
"Kenya is Kenya. Zimbabwe is Zimbabwe," George Charamba responded."Kenya is Kenya. Zimbabwe is Zimbabwe," George Charamba responded.
"We have our own history of evolving dialogue and resolving political impasses the Zimbabwean way. The Zimbabwean way, not the Kenyan way. Not at all.""We have our own history of evolving dialogue and resolving political impasses the Zimbabwean way. The Zimbabwean way, not the Kenyan way. Not at all."
Meanwhile the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said Friday's one-man election had killed off any prospect of a negotiated settlement.
Tendai Biti, the MDC's secretary-general who faces treason charges in Zimbabwe, said the country's "sham election" last week "totally and completely exterminated any prospect of a negotiated settlement".
He denied any negotiations were going on between the two parties, or that an agreement was in the offing.