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| Tsvangirai seeks embassy refuge | Tsvangirai seeks embassy refuge |
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| Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has taken refuge in the Dutch embassy in the capital, Harare. | Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has taken refuge in the Dutch embassy in the capital, 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. |
| On Sunday, he announced he was withdrawing from a presidential election run-off in the face of violence from ruling party militias. | On Sunday, he announced he was withdrawing from a presidential election run-off in the face of violence from ruling party militias. |
| 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." |
| US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who has called for Sadc and the UN to address the issue, said: "The [President Robert] Mugabe regime cannot be considered legitimate in the absence of a run-off." | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who has called for Sadc and the UN to address the issue, said: "The [President Robert] Mugabe regime cannot be considered legitimate in the absence of a run-off." |
| Zimbabwe's Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said Mr Tsvangirai's announcement of his withdrawal was a ruse as he had not sent a formal notice yet. | Zimbabwe's Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said Mr Tsvangirai's announcement of his withdrawal was a ruse as he had not sent a formal notice yet. |
| Considering future | Considering future |
| The BBC's Peter Biles in Johannesburg says Mr Tsvangirai is now considering his next move, but he remains in the Dutch compound. | The BBC's Peter Biles in Johannesburg says Mr Tsvangirai is now considering his next move, but he remains in the Dutch compound. |
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. |
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| Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said that if Mr Tsvangirai was looking for safety at the diplomatic mission, he was welcome. | Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said that if Mr Tsvangirai was looking for safety at the diplomatic mission, he was welcome. |
| Mr Tsvangirai blames supporters of President Mugabe and the ruling Zanu-PF party for the death of 86 of his supporters in the run-up to the second-round, due to be held on Friday. | Mr Tsvangirai blames supporters of President Mugabe and the ruling Zanu-PF party for the death of 86 of his supporters in the run-up to the second-round, due to be held on Friday. |
| 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. |
| In the official results, Mr Tsvangirai led but failed to gain enough votes to avoid a run-off. | In the official results, Mr Tsvangirai led but failed to gain enough votes to avoid a run-off. |