Peter Tatchell, from the gay rights group OutRage! said on Saturday he wanted to have "afternoon tea" with the president to "persuade him to drop his anti-gay crusade".

President Mugabe has accused UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, of using what he described as "gay gangsters" to target him during a recent visit to Britain.

He repeated his criticisms of the British Government at the Commonwealth Summit in South Africa, describing the Cabinet as being a "gay organisation".

Peter Tatchell wants to have tea and make peace

The President was reacting to an incident last month when Peter Tatchell and three other activists from OutRage! stopped President Mugabe's car during a private visit to London.

Mr Tatchell opened the car door, grabbed President Mugabe by the arm, and told him he was under citizen's arrest for torturing Zimbabwean gays.

The Zimbabwean president is angry with the government for allowing Mr Tatchell's actions.

At this weekend's summit he said: "People who are homosexuals are queer because they think differently."

'I don't hate him'

On Saturday Mr Tatchell said it was time to make peace despite the President's well-documented comment about homosexuals being lower than dogs and pigs.

He said: "I want a meeting with the president to discuss human rights issues. Providing President Mugabe will guarantee my immunity from arrest and agree to meet me, I will come to Zimbabwe early next year".

"I don't hate him. It is his homophobic policies that are objectionable," he added.

Mr Tatchell is due to report to Belgravia police station in London on Tuesday to discover whether he is to be charged over his "citizen's arrest" of President Mugabe.