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Zimbabwe rivals to attend summit Zimbabwe rivals to attend summit
(about 1 hour later)
President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai are to attend an emergency summit of regional leaders to discuss Zimbabwe's recent election.President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai are to attend an emergency summit of regional leaders to discuss Zimbabwe's recent election.
Saturday's Zambia summit was called amid the failure of Zimbabwe's election commission to publish results of the presidential election held 12 days ago. Saturday's talks in Zambia were called amid the failure of Zimbabwe's election commission to publish results of the presidential election held 12 days ago.
The opposition has refused to take part in any second round run-off vote.
Mr Tsvangirai is in Botswana, where a minister quoted him as saying he had left a tense Zimbabwe to ask for help.Mr Tsvangirai is in Botswana, where a minister quoted him as saying he had left a tense Zimbabwe to ask for help.
He accuses Mr Mugabe of delaying tactics in releasing the poll results. We are concerned that an illegitimate government is now in place in Zimbabwe Tendai BitiMovement for Democratic Change class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7340204.stm">Harare diary: Seeking good omens
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change claims the government is trying to engineer victory for Mr Mugabe at a second-round vote. At a news conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Thursday, the Movement for Democratic Change said the delay of results amounted to "a constitutional coup d'etat".
Run-off refusal MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti said: "We won the presidential election hands down, without the need for a run-off, so we will not participate in a run-off."
But at a news conference on Thursday, MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti said: "We won the presidential election hands down, without the need for a run-off, so we will not participate in a run-off." 'No crisis'
He labelled Mr Mugabe a "black mamba [snake]" and said the delay in releasing the results amounted to "a constitutional coup d'etat". Mr Biti also accused ruling Zanu-PF-backed militias of unleashing a campaign of violence across the country to intimidate rural voters ahead of a possible run-off.
There is no crisis in Zimbabwe that warrants a special meeting on Zimbabwe Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7340204.stm">Harare diary: seeking good omens He said Mr Mugabe was a "caretaker president", adding: "So we are therefore concerned that an illegitimate government is now in place in Zimbabwe."
Mr Biti said ruling Zanu-PF-backed militias had unleashed a campaign of violence across the country to intimidate rural voters ahead of a possible run-off.
Mr Mugabe was a "caretaker president... to the extent that he is waiting for the next president to be appointed," he said.
"So we are therefore concerned that an illegitimate government is now in place in Zimbabwe and that is clearly unconstitutional and that is clearly unacceptable," he added.
Predicament
Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, who chairs the 14-nation Sadc grouping, has called the weekend's emergency meeting.Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, who chairs the 14-nation Sadc grouping, has called the weekend's emergency meeting.
ELECTION RESULTS SO FAR Presidential results: None so farWinner needs more than 50% to avoid run-off Senate results: Zanu-PF: 30MDC: 24MDC breakaway: 6ELECTION RESULTS SO FAR Presidential results: None so farWinner needs more than 50% to avoid run-off Senate results: Zanu-PF: 30MDC: 24MDC breakaway: 6
Zambian Information Minister Mike Mulongoti told the BBC that Mr Mugabe's presence would not necessarily be helpful. Zimbabwe's Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said they were happy to brief Sadc, but added: "There is no crisis in Zimbabwe that warrants a special meeting on Zimbabwe."
"I think the Sadc heads would rather meet to consult on their own without the presence of the people involved in Zimbabwe itself," he said. Mr Tsvangirai wants other southern Africa leaders to put pressure on the Zimbabwean government to announce the results of the 29 March presidential election.
Mr Tsvangirai wants others southern Africa leaders to put pressure on the Zimbabwean government to announce the results of the presidential election. US President George W Bush on Thursday said Zimbabwe's authorities had to release the results "as soon as possible", the White House said.
Meanwhile, the state-run Herald newspaper reports that the ruling Zanu-PF has increased the number of constituency results it is contesting from 16 to 21. A spokesman for Mr Bush said he made the call in a telephone conversation with Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.
In the House of Assembly, Zanu-PF has lost its majority for the first time since independence, with 97 seats against the MDC's 99 in the 210-seat chamber. A smaller MDC faction has 10 seats. Independent and ruling party projections say Mr Tsvangirai did not win the 50% vote share needed to win outright.
Zimbabwe was prepared to brief Sadc on political developments on the ground, Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said, the Herald reports. But the MDC said on Thursday it had now obtained broader results which suggested it had taken more than the 50.3% share, which the party previously estimated it had won.
However, he told AP news agency that he felt Saturday's meeting was not necessary.
'Puzzled''Puzzled'
"There is no crisis in Zimbabwe that warrants a special meeting on Zimbabwe," he said. South Africa dismissed any suggestion it would ask Mr Mugabe to step down.
The MDC's spokesman in London, Hebson Makuvise, said he believed Sadc would ask Mr Mugabe to give up any claim to the presidency "and allow the country to move on". Its deputy foreign minister said in Pretoria: "We are not a government who can ask other presidents to step down."
The MDC says there is no need for a presidential run-offThe MDC says there is no need for a presidential run-off
But South Africa's Deputy Foreign Minister told AFP news agency in Pretoria: "We are not a government who can ask other presidents to step down." Meanwhile, Zimbabwe's state-run Herald newspaper reports the ruling Zanu-PF has increased the number of constituency results it is contesting from 16 to 21.
The MDC is still hoping that legal action in the High Court will lead to the immediate release of the presidential results. A ruling is due on Monday. In the House of Assembly, Zanu-PF has lost its majority for the first time since independence, with 97 seats against the MDC's 99 in the 210-seat chamber. A smaller MDC faction has 10 seats.
Independent and ruling party projections say Mr Tsvangirai gained most votes but not the 50% needed to win outright. The MDC is still hoping legal action in the High Court will lead to the immediate release of the presidential results. A ruling is due on Monday.
The MDC says he gained 50.3% of the vote, but Zanu-PF has demanded a recount.
Independent presidential candidate Simba Makoni, placed third by the official results, said he was "puzzled" by the poll results delay.
Speaking for the first time since the poll, he said: "The reason I offered to run for president is because I didn't believe President Mugabe was still suitable for that office."
Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organisation warned food security in Zimbabwe was "critical" and drought was threatening this year's maize harvest.