ForeignOffice Minister Mark Malloch Brown told reporters it would have beenpreferable for Movement for Democratic Change candidate MorganTsvangirai to contest Friday's runoff vote. But, Malloch Brown saidhis withdrawal is understandable.
"We completely understandand support the decision of the MDC and Morgan Tsvangirai to pull out,because clearly the conditions for the elections to proceed had becomeimpossible," he said.
Malloch Brown says the violent blocking ofan opposition rally, which Mr. Tsvangirai was supposed to addressSunday, could have been the tipping point. He went on to express deepregret that the people of Zimbabwe are being denied an opportunity tohave their voices heard on June 27.
Mr. Tsvangirai won themost votes in the presidential election on March 29, but the ZimbabweElection Commission said he did not gain an outright majority. The MDCalso won the parliamentary elections and most local governmentelections.
Malloch Brown says Mr. Tsvangirai's withdrawal fromthe runoff election throws into question any claim to victory byPresident Mugabe.
"He has no claims under his own constitutionfor the presidency," Brown said. "The AU [African Union] has clearconditions about not accepting any more presidents non-democraticallyelected to hold their seats, SADC [Southern African DevelopmentCommunity] has its own clear principles about the conduct of elections;all of these have essentially been breached. We do not accept thestatus quo and we do not expect the international community to acceptthe status quo."
President Mugabe has consistently blamed theopposition for the violence and outside interference, especially fromformer colonial power, Britain. Both the opposition and Britain denythe charge.
But, says Malloch Brown, the events of the past sixmonths show that situation in Zimbabwe can now be characterized asMugabe against the international community.
To this end, hesaid, the situation is up for discussion by various organizationsincluding the United Nations, the European Union, the G8 and the AfricaUnion.
"So, we expect out of all these different forums,action," said Brown. "Some of them, like the EU or the G8, it isappropriate for us to make proposals as to what that action should be. Others such as the U.N. and the AU it is important that we are verymuch part of the discussion."
Last week the European Unionwarned that unspecified additional measures would be taken againstthose responsible for the violent campaign in Zimbabwe. EU sanctionsalready include a travel ban on Mr. Mugabe and 130 members of his innercircle.