PM criticises UN Zimbabwe failure


The resolution called for sanctions on Mugabe and 13 other officials


Prime Minister Gordon Brown has criticised the UN Security Council for failing "to stand up for the democratic rights of Zimbabweans".
A Downing Street statement said it was "right to push for a tough Security Council resolution" although Russia and China vetoed the sanctions plan.
Foreign Secretary David Miliband denied the effort was "ill-judged". The government said it could try again.
Proposals included an arms embargo and travel ban on Robert Mugabe and allies.
A Downing Street spokesman said those who "stood in the way" of sanctions "must now take responsibility for the failure of the Security Council to act".
He said: "We will continue to stand firmly for human rights and democracy and will return to the Security Council in the absence of early progress on mediation humanitarian access and an end to violence." Mr Milliband said the UK and US were "absolutely right" to put the sanctions resolution to a UN vote even though it was vetoed by Russia and China.


"We've been arguing for a long time that we need real action not words. It was right to test this out" he said.
Zimbabwe's UN ambassador said the UK and US had come up with unjustified reasons for the draft UN Security Council resolution.
Boniface Chidyausiku said he was happy to see what he called the "machinations" of the US the UK and France failing.
But Minister for Africa Lord Malloch-Brown said Mr Mugabe would be "making a serious mistake" if he thought Britain would now leave him alone.
Lord Malloch-Brown told BBC News: "Let me be very very clear: if President Mugabe is sitting in Harare taking some form of comfort that his troubles are at an end he's making a serious mistake.
"We will continue to find ways to put unrelenting pressure on Mr Mugabe and those around him for having stolen the election."
'Two fingers up'
There has been growing international criticism of Zimbabwe since the re-election of Mr Mugabe in a run-off boycotted by the opposition.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party say they had faced a campaign of violence by Mugabe supporters.
Russia and China said they opposed the resolution because the situation in Zimbabwe did not threaten international stability.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme Mr Miliband defended Britain's diplomatic tactics. "I think it was absolutely right to go to a vote" he said.

"It's right that in the end people have to show their cards. And the vote yesterday showed that in the end the Russians and the Chinese - I wouldn't quite say put two fingers up - but effectively they blocked action."
Earlier in a statement Mr Miliband said Russia's veto in particular was "incomprehensible" as President Dmitry Medvedev had promised to support the resolution at the recent meeting of G8 industrialised nations.
South Africa - which is hoping that President Mugabe and the opposition can reach a deal on a power-sharing - also voted against sanctions.
On Saturday Mr Mugabe's regime thanked South African President Thabo Mbeki for having "foiled the Western plot".
The excuse given by Russia and China that the issue is no threat to world stability does not hold water


William Hague
Shadow foreign secretary


The Conservatives also criticised the veto and the government for being "over-confident" of Russia's support.
Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said: "The excuse given by Russia and China that the issue is no threat to world stability does not hold water when millions of Zimbabwean refugees have fled to neighbouring countries. "With the UN paralysed the need for more serious and properly enforced EU sanctions is all the greater" he added.

The resolution had the support of nine council members the minimum required to pass in the 15-member council.
But the veto of any of the five permanent members is enough to defeat a resolution.
Ed Davey Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman said: "It's a bad day for the UN and a disastrous day for the people of Zimbabwe."
He said Britain must now try to exert pressure on Mr Mugabe through the European Union the African Union and in particular South Africa.
"President Mbeki has been the one who has shown the worst leadership of all frankly even worse than Russia and China" Mr Davey said.
'Other mechanisms'
Mr Tsvangirai won the first round of Zimbabwe's presidential elections on 29 March but official results gave him less than the 50% share needed to avoid a run-off.
He pulled out of the run-off poll after many of his supporters were targeted assaulted and even killed leaving Mr Mugabe to win unopposed in the second round at the end of June. Mark Ellis executive director of the International Bar Association said Friday's vote threw the future of the UN into question. "We simply cannot permit these types of crimes and individuals to move forward and if the Security Council cannot act we need to be looking at other mechanisms" he said.