President Robert Mugabe’s government accused UN officials of ”spreading lies” about Zimbabwe today, deepening a rift between the country and the world body.

Sixty-four suspected mercenaries detained in Zimbabwe this week were hired to help overthrow the government in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea with the assistance of British, American, and Spanish intelligence agencies, the Zimbabwe government claimed.

Britain has a responsibility to compensate white Zimbabwean farmers whose land has been seized, Zimbabwean Foreign Minister Stan Mudenge said today.

European Union foreign ministers will consider imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe tomorrow unless the government of President Robert Mugabe ends political violence and takes steps to ensure March elections are free and fair.

Zimbabwe today vowed not to bow to any outside pressure to stop its plans to seize white-owned farms.