The Zimbabwe crisis was set to overshadow Wednesday's high-level talks in the Security Council on closer security co-operation between the United Nations and the African Union.

Officially, the delayed results of Zimbabwe's 29 March presidential election are not on the agenda of the meeting, but Western diplomats and UN chief Ban Ki-Moon have served notice that they will definitely focus on the issue despite the reluctance of the host, South Africa.

"We will raise the Zimbabwe issue," US Ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters on Tuesday, describing it as "the most urgent issue" on the African continent.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will also bring it up both in his remarks to the council as well as in bilateral meetings with South African President Thabo Mbeki and other leaders, diplomats said.

France, who is represented by its junior minister for human rights, Rama Yade, also intends to take up Zimbabwe, according to its ambassador to the UN Jean-Maurice Ripert.

Ban meanwhile told reporters on Tuesday that he would say something about the crisis in his remarks to the gathering hosted by South Africa, in its capacity as chair of the 15-member council this month.

"We need to see, first of all, very transparent and expeditious release of the election results, so that the Zimbabwean people will be able to enjoy the democratic process," Ban added.

Reluctant South Africa

South Africa is not keen to see the council take up Zimbabwe, arguing that this is a regional issue best handled by Zimbabwe's neighbours in the Southern African Development Community (Sadc).

On Sunday Sadc leaders wrapped up an emergency meeting in Zambia with a call on Harare to release the election results.

Mbeki has come under fire for his stance towards Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, whom he met on Saturday in Harare while on his way to the Sadc summit.

"There is no crisis in Zimbabwe," Mbeki told journalists at the time. "The body authorised to release the results is the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, let's wait for them to announce the results."

On Tuesday, Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai expressed shock and bewilderment at Mbeki's remarks.

Strengthening UN-AU ties

Also attending Wednesday's meeting are the presidents of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ivory Coast, Somalia and Tanzania as well as the prime ministers of Italy, and Ethiopia.

Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone are sending their foreign ministers while China and Sudan are represented by special envoys.

The United States is represented by Khalilzad and US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer.

South Africa's UN ambassador Dumisani Kumalo said a resolution was to be adopted at the end of the meeting to strengthen UN-AU ties and welcome Ban's decision to appoint a high-level panel to weigh how the world body can better support AU peacekeeping efforts.

Lacking funding, equipment and adequate training, the AU has had trouble carrying out peacekeeping missions in Africa, notably in Sudan's strife-torn Darfur region and Somalia.

On Thursday, ambassadors of the AU and the Security Council are to follow through with a council debate to review in greater detail individual conflicts like Darfur and Somalia, Kumalo said.

Meanwhile Avaaz.org, a global online advocacy network, plans to fly a 3000-square foot banner above UN headquarters early on Wednesday calling on Mbeki to "support democracy in Zimbabwe" and convince Mugabe "to respect the will of his people."

AFP