Mugabe to meet Mbeki before Zimbabwe crisis summit

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe will meet South African leader Thabo Mbeki on Saturday before a southern African summit called to discuss Zimbabwe's election stalemate, the Harare government said.

"We are expecting President Mbeki this morning, and he will be meeting the (Zimbabwean) president," a Zimbabwean government official told Reuters. He gave no further details.

Mugabe has said he will not attend the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Lusaka later on Saturday, called by Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa to try to end the impasse over Zimbabwe's disputed elections and prevent the crisis from turning violent.

The result of the presidential election has not yet been published, two weeks after the vote took place.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change won the parliamentary election, held at the same time, and claims victory in the presidential poll. It has gone to court to try to force officials to release the results.

The 14-member SADC has long been seen as toothless in its response to Zimbabwe's political and economic problems.

Mbeki has been mediating between Mugabe and the MDC since last year. The SADC delegated the South African president to oversee negotiations between Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF and the MDC in an effort to reach an agreement that would ensure a fair and free election.

The talks failed, prompting a wave of criticism of SADC and Mbeki's quiet diplomacy.

The 84-year-old Zimbabwean leader has shown no sign of giving in to those urging him to respect the results of the March 29 election.

The summit appeared to be the best chance to dissuade him from launching another crackdown on the opposition. Dozens of MDC activists and supporters were beaten by police last year in an abortive anti-government protest in the capital Harare.

The MDC and ZANU-PF have accused each other of preparing for street battles.

Zimbabwean police have banned political rallies, including one planned by the MDC for Sunday. The opposition has called for an indefinite general strike to begin on Tuesday.