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Senior UN political official meets Mugabe
Accra, June 18, Ghanadot/GNA - A
senior United Nations political envoy has held talks with
Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe at the start of his visit to
the Southern African country, aimed at reducing political
tensions ahead of the run-off to the presidential election later
this month.
Mr. Haile Menkerios, Assistant-Secretary-General for Political
Affairs, arrived in Harare on Tuesday for a five-day visit to
Zimbabwe, which has been beset by deadly political violence
since the first round of the presidential election on 29 March.
Mr. Menkerios discussed the current political climate with
President Mugabe, according to a UN spokesperson.
A statement from the UN Information Centre in Accra said he also
held talks with Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and he
was expected to meet with leaders of other political parties and
stakeholders during the remainder of his visit.
In the run-off race, scheduled for June 27, President Mugabe
would face Morgan Tsvangirai, a candidate from the opposition
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), after the two men polled
the highest number of votes in the first round.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour expressed
shock late last month at reports that many MDC activists have
been killed or injured in recent weeks and that human rights
defenders and staff with non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
have also been harassed.
UN humanitarian officials have also called on Zimbabwean
authorities to rescind a decision to suspend all field
operations by NGO aid groups.
GNA
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