State Department
27 June 2008
The United States Friday expressed deep disappointment that Zimbabwe'spresidential runoff election went forward even though incumbentPresident Robert Mugabe was the only candidate. U.S. officials say theywill pursue new bilateral and international action against the Mugabegovernment. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.
U.S.diplomats were only able to observe voting in a few neighborhoods inthe Zimbabwean capital, Harare. But State Department Deputy SpokesmanTom Casey said it is clear, even from that small sampling, that theelection is being conducted in what he termed "a true climate ofintimidation and fear."
He says the Mugabe government, whateverit may say about the election, will emerge from the "sham process" withno legitimacy in the world community.
The comments were someof the strongest to date from the Bush administration, which stepped upits criticism of the Harare government after opposition leader MorganTsvangirai's departure from the race earlier this week amid a wave ofgovernment-inspired violence.
Spokesman Casey said the situationhas generated international concern and disappointment even amonglongtime defenders of Mr. Mugabe in the southern African regionalgrouping SADC, and the African Union.
He said he hopes the AU,discussing the Zimbabwean situation in a weekend summit in Egypt, willpush for a political solution to the crisis:
"We would hope theywould continue to speak out in opposition to this completely fraudulentelectoral process that is now under way, and put their weight behindinternational efforts to reach some kind of political solution," hesaid. "At this point, I am not prepared to tell them what specificmeasures they ought to take. But clearly we're looking for them tospeak out and do what they think is appropriate, and take what stepsthey can to be able to put pressure on the regime to change itsapproach."
Echoing remarks by Secretary of State CondoleezzaRice at the G8 foreign ministers meeting in Japan, Casey said theUnited States will seek additional action in the U.N. Security Councilbeyond the president's statement from the council earlier this weekcondemning Zimbabwe election violence.
U.S. Ambassador to theUnited Nations Zalmay Khalilzad completes his one-month term asrotating Security Council president next Monday. But Casey said theBush administration does not see a need to push for further councilaction by Monday, saying world concern about Zimbabwe will not suddenlygo away.
He also said there are "a lot of things" the UnitedStates can do bilaterally, beyond targeted U.S. sanctions against theHarare leadership already in place, to underline its displeasure overthe latest events.