Tsvangirai poll withdrawal 'understandable'

The withdrawal of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai from the presidential run-off election in Zimbabwe is “understandable” as the poll was unlikely to be free and fair, European Union chiefs said today.

Javier Solana and EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel said the “unacceptable level of violence” and intimidation in Zimbabwe in recent weeks must be addressed at a summit of African leaders in Egypt later this week.