US plans Zimbabwe sanctions

The EU says the observers were not free to do their job

The US is preparing to impose travel bans and financial sanctions on President Robert Mugabe and Zimbabwe's ruling elite.

The measures, expected to be announced in the next few days, are a clear show of support from America for the actions taken by the European Union.

The first group of EU election observers left Zimbabwe on Tuesday, a day after EU sanctions came into effect, saying they were being prevented from doing their job.

European ministers provoked fury from Zimbabwe after they decided to impose sanctions to highlight their concern for political violence, violations of human rights and restrictions on the media.

EU sanctions

Ban on travel to EU

Freeze on financial assets held in EU

Arms embargo

US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said America's leaders "strongly support" the EU.

The BBC's Jon Leyne in Washington said the US was considering banning travel to the US by top Zimbabwean officials as well as launching financial restrictions.

But while a travel ban may begin within days, Washington may wait until after the April elections to target the assets of Harare's ruling elite.

"We've been working through this process to implement targeted travel sanctions that focus on the individuals responsible for or who benefit from politics that undermine Zimbabwe's democratic institutions," Mr Boucher said.

News of the EU sanctions brought out Mr Mugabe's supporters

"We're moving rapidly toward the final implementation of that plan but I don't have a formal announcement."

On Monday the European Union slapped a visa ban on 20 top Zimbabwean official, including President Robert Mugabe, and froze their assets.

A US decision may not be announced until President George W Bush returns from his Asian tour.

Last December Mr Bush signed a bill passed by Congress paving the way for sanctions.

Since then, there have been some investigations into US assets held by Mr Mugabe that could be frozen.

Our job is to observe, not to leave. It's like a driver who is not entitled to drive

Observer Jean-Francois Leloutre

US lawmakers said they wanted to encourage the growth of democracy.

The US group, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, has been invited by Zimbabwe to provide observers, but other organisations, such as the Carter Institute and the National Democratic Institute, which might usually expect to monitor elections, have not been asked.

All the European election observers are scheduled to leave Zimbabwe.

French observer Jean-Francois Leloutre said they were saddened to go before they could complete their mission.

"Of course we are upset at having to leave," he told Reuters news agency.

"Our job is to observe, not to leave. It's like a driver who is not entitled to drive."

'Economic terrorism'

Information Minister Jonathan Moyo had earlier accused the EU of seeking to bring down the president who is standing for re-election in next month's poll.

"It is very clear that what we are now dealing with is organised economic terrorism whose aim is clear and is to unseat a legitimately elected government which has decided to defend its national independence and national sovereignty," he said.

"There is so much hypocrisy in this whole talk about the government subverting democracy - it's really about protecting the interests of the white minority, which in Zimbabwe is threatened by the needs of the majority."

The EU sanctions were welcomed by Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change, whose headquarters in the capital, Harare, were attacked by hundreds of Mr Mugabe's supporters on Monday.