Brown: 'No safe haven' for Mugabe

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has set out plans to ensure there is "no safe haven" for Robert Mugabe's "criminal cabal".

Mr Brown renewed his criticism of the President of Zimbabwe as the UN Security Council is set to vote on tough new sanctions.

Reporting to MPs on the outcome of the G8 summit in Japan, Mr Brown hit out at the violence and intimidation in Zimbabwe under Mr Mugabe's rule.

He said: "With worldwide sanctions and a worldwide arms embargo, our aim is that there be no hiding place and no safe haven for the criminal cabal that surrounds Mugabe.

"And now that the G8 has taken its decision, we propose that the UN puts the full weight of the international community against the actions of an illegitimate government."

David Cameron, leader of the Conservative Party, congratulated the Prime Minister on putting Zimbabwe at the top of the agenda.

He said: "On sanctions against the regime and not recognising the legitimacy of the government, real progress was made. The key is to translate those words at the G8 into an effective UN resolution."

The G8 has said that it did not accept the legitimacy of Mr Mugabe's government and the UN security council was currently discussing an international arms embargo, alongside new financial and travel restrictions.

Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party won a landslide victory last month in what have been widely criticised as rigged and corrupt elections in which members of the main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, were intimidated and beaten.

However, after coming under heavy international pressure to enter negotiations, both parties will begin preliminary talks in South Africa on ending the political crisis, it has been reported.

The MDC, led by Morgan Tsvangirai, has until now refused to enter talks until the violence ends, but an MDC source told Reuters that preliminary talks would discuss ending the violence.

"Our team is in South Africa, where they will have preliminary talks with Zanu-PF, starting today. It means something is happening. So these are not the actual talks, but preliminary discussions on what the talks will focus on," the source said.

Diplomatic sources in Pretoria also say the two sides have agreed to talks, which have previously been mediated by South Africa as the designated regional negotiator.

The African Union, at a summit last month, called for talks leading to a national unity government.

Mr Tsvangirai defeated Mugabe in a March 29 first round presidential poll but fell short of the absolute majority required to avoid a run-off.

Mr Tsvangirai withdrew from the second ballot, citing violent attacks by pro-Mugabe militia.

The MDC said 103 of its supporters have been killed in the violence.

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