UN delays sanctions vote as Zimbabwe's rival parties talk

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UNITED NATIONS, Jul 11 (AFP): The Security Council Thursday delayed a vote on UN sanctions against Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe as the Harare government and its opposition resumed South African-mediated talks.

Vietnam's UN ambassador Le Luong Minh, who chairs the council this month, told reporters that the United States, which drafted the sanctions resolution, had so far made no attempt to push for a Thursday vote.

The US delegation had hoped to have a vote late Wednesday on the text, which would slap for an assets freeze and a travel ban on Mugabe and 13 of his cronies, as well as an arms embargo.

"There was a request to put to the vote that resolution yesterday. But the request was canceled," Minh said.

He said Vietnam and other opponents of the draft, which is backed by Washington's European allies, instead wanted to extend support to the ongoing South African-mediated talks between Zimbabwe's ruling party and opposition in Pretoria.

"We have been seeing efforts under way by the African Union and the (14-nation) SADC (Southern African Development Community) and we think those efforts should be supported," Minh said.