The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Harare

Robert Mugabe's regime warned the West on Monday to "stop meddling" in Zimbabwe's crisis as the veteran leader faced mounting pressure to cut a deal with the opposition after his one-man election.

While US President George W. Bush again labelled the June 27 poll a "sham" and G8 leaders attending a summit in Japan pushed for new sanctions, a top Mugabe lieutenant said the outside world had no role to play in the crisis.

"We appeal to foreigners and external forces to leave the resolution of the Zimbabwe situation to Zimbabweans alone," Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told the state-run Herald newspaper.

"Britain, the US and the EU, in particular, should stop meddling in our affairs." Group of Eight industrial powers, at a meeting on the sidelines of the summit, were to urge African leaders to pile pressure on Mugabe over the violence-wracked vote boycotted by opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged Zimbabwe's parties to restore the "rule of law" and said he would take up the crisis with African leaders. Ban, speaking to AFP on his plane as he arrived in Japan, said Mugabe's election lacked legitimacy. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told his Japanese counterpart Yasuo Fukuda it was "important to send a strong message to secure democracy in Zimbabwe," a Japanese government official said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel meanwhile said new sanctions were to be discussed.

After meeting with African leaders on Monday, Bush sought to show solidarity with Zimbabweans while criticising Mugabe, who has ruled the country since independence in 1980.