Lisbon wants Mugabe to stay away

Robert Mugabe would be an unwelcome guest in Lisbon

Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe should consider staying away from the forthcoming EU-African summit,according to the host nation, Portugal.
"If you ask me if I would like him to come to Lisbon I would say that I would prefer that he ... not come," said Foreign Minister Luis Amado. British prime minister Gordon Brown has said he will stay away from the December meeting if Mr Mugabe attends.

But African states have made it clear that they want Mr Mugabe to attend.

And Mr Mugabe says he does want to be there.

Earlier this month the African Union (AU) chairman, John Kufuor of Ghana, said that Mr Mugabe had every right to attend the summit.