UN pulls out of Zimbabwe poll

The United Nations has announced that it will not -- as planned -- act as a co-ordinator for international observer groups monitoring the forthcoming general elections in Zimbabwe.

The world body was to have co-ordinated the work of several groups of observers.

No formal reason has been given for its withdrawal, but the BBC correspondent in Zimbabwe says it's understood that it was the result of a deadlock in discussions with the Zimbabwean government, which wanted the UN to play a much smaller role than it planned.

Our correspondent says there is no indication that any other observer groups will withdraw.

He says that opposition parties in Zimbabwe have banked on the observer missions being in place to try to ensure that the poll will be free and fair.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service