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UK 'will stand with' Zimbabweans | |
(30 minutes later) | |
Foreign Secretary David Miliband has said the UK "stands with" the people of Zimbabwe as it awaits the results of its recent elections. | |
He told MPs the country had the "opportunity" of a "democratic future". | |
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change has claimed victory in Saturday's poll but results have not been published. | |
Mr Miliband said the delay had been a "calculated tactic" by President Robert Mugabe's regime. | |
'Brutality' | |
He added that the "playing field" had been "tilted heavily" in favour of Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party. | |
Mr Miliband also said conditions for free and fair elections must be in place if a second round of voting is called. | |
Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said years of "brutality and repression" in Zimbabwe had made it a "political pressure-cooker". | |
It would "no doubt take more than his [Mr Mugabe's] departure for the country to recover" from years of corruption and economic decline, he added. | |
Earlier, Commons leader Harriet Harman, standing in for Gordon Brown at prime minister's questions, expressed "concern" and "solidarity" with the country's people. | |
She said MPs felt "concern and solidarity for the people of Zimbabwe and that they should have their democratic election respected and recognised". | |
Ms Harman added that the UK was Zimbabwe's biggest donor and would be "ready to step up that support" together with the international community. | |
On Monday Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the "eyes of the world" were on the country and that the results of Saturday's poll should be published. | |
He is attending an international summit in Romania. |