G8 to discuss sharper Zimbabwe sanctions

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe

Leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialised nations will discuss sharpening sanctions against Zimbabwe at a summit in Japan next week, a senior German government official said today.

Britain wanted G8 leaders to emphasise in the statement that they did not recognise the re-election of President Robert Mugabe and to include a section saying that tighter sanctions should be considered, the German official added.

Mugabe was re-elected at the weekend in a vote that was boycotted by the opposition and widely condemned by world leaders.

The US is pushing for tougher sanctions against Zimbabwe's leadership through the United Nations, but UN Security Council diplomats say South Africa, Russia and China oppose Washington's plans.

Inflation now at nine million percent
Zimbabwe's economy is already in meltdown with the country struggling with a chronic shortage of cash and hyper inflation of about nine million percent.

Earlier this week the German company Giesecke and Devrient announced it would stop supplying Zimbabwe with banknotes following pressure from the German government, the EU and the UN.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said today the international community could send a peacekeeping force to stabilise the southern African nation.

African Union leaders called at a summit on Tuesday for Mugabe's Zanu-PF party and the opposition to negotiate to end the crisis.

Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday rejected talks on a unity government, saying Mugabe must first stop violence and accept him as the rightful election winner. – Reuters