Robert Mugabe's regime Wednesday branded G8 leaders' threat of more sanctions "international racism" and a bid to force out the Zimbabwe president following his widely condemned one-man election.

After the Group of Eight industrial powers meeting in Japan rejected the legitimacy of Mugabe's government and promised action against his regime, Zimbabwe's information minister said the move defied the people's will.

"For them to say that Zimbabwe's government and President Mugabe's election are not legitimate is an attempt to impose a government on the people of Zimbabwe against their will," Sikhanyiso Ndlovu told the state-run Herald newspaper.

"This is international racism," he added.

'How to send a strong message?'

G8 leaders wrangled intensely over how to send Mugabe a strong message, resulting in Russia succumbing to pressure from Britain, France, Germany and the United States to agree to imposing targeted measures.

"We do not accept the legitimacy of any government that does not reflect the will of the Zimbabwean people," G8 leaders said in a statement Tuesday at their summit.

"We will take further steps, inter alia introducing financial and other measures against those individuals responsible for the violence."

Debate over sanctions will now shift to the UN Security Council, and the United States said it was confident new measures would be adopted this week despite objections from South Africa and Russia.

The proposed sanctions include a travel ban and an assets freeze on Mugabe and 13 of his closest associates and an arms embargo on the Harare regime.

Some elements described as 'excessive'

In a sign that tough negotiations lie ahead, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said elements of the US draft were "quite excessive" and clearly "in conflict with the notion of sovereignty" of a UN member state.

He also questioned whether the crisis spawned by Zimbabwe's June 27 election boycotted by the opposition due to rising violence amounted to a threat to international peace.

The statement from G8 leaders had not used the word sanctions, said Churkin.

Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew from the presidential run-off five days before the poll, saying dozens of his supporters had been killed and thousands injured by Mugabe thugs.

He finished ahead of Mugabe in the 29 March first round, but with an official vote total short of an outright majority.

African Union leaders have called for dialogue between Zimbabwe's political parties and the formation of a national unity government.

Tsvangirai has dismissed unity government calls and wants a transitional arrangement that would lead to fresh elections. Mugabe has said he must be accepted as president before any talks can begin.

Despite their huge differences, there were signals Wednesday that negotiations were to begin soon.

Biti allowed to visit SA

A High Court in Zimbabwe on Wednesday eased bail conditions for the opposition's number two leader Tendai Biti, who faces treason charges, to allow him to attend talks on his country's political crisis in South Africa.

Prosecutors said in their court filing that they had no objections to the request from Biti, who is the opposition's chief negotiator.

The High Court granted the request, though it remained unclear when talks would start.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change said Wednesday that no negotiations were underway between itself and Mugabe's ZANU-PF party.

The G8 leaders' call for sanctions and their request for a special envoy to assist in mediation efforts in Zimbabwe was likely to be seen as a further criticism of South African President Thabo Mbeki.

Mbeki, the regionally appointed mediator for the crisis who has been criticised for his quiet diplomacy approach, was among the African leaders to meet with the G8 this week. South Africa has resisted calls for new sanctions on Harare.

UN mediation mission

There have already been moves at the United Nations to appoint a special representative for mediation.

Diplomatic sources have said that among those being considered for the mission are former UN secretary general Kofi Annan, who helped broker a power-sharing agreement in Kenya last February; former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano; Nigerian ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo; and Ghanaian President John Kufuor.

Ndlovu, the information minister, said such moves were a "non-starter." He added: "President Mbeki has proved his mettle as an African statesman par excellence

AFP