Mugabe insists 'Zimbabwe is mine'

Robert Mugabe says African countries would not have the courage to intervene

President Robert Mugabe has said that "Zimbabwe is mine" and rejected calls from some African leaders to step down.

"I will never, never, never surrender," he told delegates of his ruling Zanu-PF party at its annual conference.

Mr Mugabe also said he had sent a letter to the country's main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, inviting him to be sworn in as prime minister.

Earlier, Mr Tsvangirai said he would pull out of power-sharing talks unless abductions of his supporters stopped.

Mr Tsvangirai said that if the 42 missing members of the Movement for Democratic Change were not released or charged by 1 January, he would ask for the suspension of all contact and negotiations.

The only persons with the power to remove Robert Gabriel Mugabe are the people of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe Dollar is key to Zimbabwe survival

He said the Zanu-PF was conducting a deliberate and targeted national terrorist campaign to undermine the MDC's support.

BBC Southern Africa correspondent Peter Biles says that this represents a significant shift in Mr Tsvangirai's position, as he had previously remained committed to the power-sharing talks despite a number of reservations.

Zimbabwe is currently gripped by economic collapse and a cholera epidemic. The UN on Thursday reported that the death toll from the disease had risen to 1,123 and that 20,896 people had been infected.

'Pack of lies'

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Friday that the antiquated methods being used to treat the epidemic could not bring hope to the suffering of the Zimbabwean people.

Mr Tsvangirai has threatened to withdraw from the power-sharing talks

US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer meanwhile said there was "a complete collapse right now" in Zimbabwe, and said Mr Mugabe needed to step down.

But in a defiant speech at the Zanu-PF's annual conference in Bindura, north-east of Harare, the president insisted "the only persons with the power to remove Robert Gabriel Mugabe are the people of Zimbabwe".

"I will never, never, never surrender. Zimbabwe is mine, I am a Zimbabwean. Zimbabwe for Zimbabweans," he said.

Mr Mugabe said international criticism of his government's handling of the cholera outbreak was "a pack of lies".

"I won't be intimidated. Even if I am threatened with beheading, I believe this and nothing will ever move me from it: Zimbabwe belongs to us, not the British," he added.

He also questioned whether any of his country's neighbours would "have the courage to order a military intervention".

"What would they come and do militarily here? All that they would come and really pose is a threat to our stability," he said.

"There would be an unnecessary war started in a foolish manner because of foolish persuasion coming from foolish sources."

WHERE AFRICA STANDS Critical of Robert Mugabe- Botswana's president has called for fresh elections- Kenya's PM wants African governments to oust Mr Mugabe- Senegal's president says Mr Mugabe should give up power- Zambia's late president called the region's silence over election violence "scandalous" Pro power-sharing- Southern African Development Community (Sadc) maintains power-sharing is the only solution- South Africa, the regional powerhouse, backs Sadc- The African Union says a unity cabinet is the only way forward- Nigeria's foreign minister says he shares "moral outrage" about Zimbabwe, but backs dialogue

Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade became the latest in an increasing number of senior African politicians calling for Mr Mugabe to quit.

He told the French newspaper, La Croix, that he had supported Mr Mugabe in the past but was forming the view that the president was now the cause of his country's problems.

'No letters'

In his speech on Friday, the Zimbabwean leader said he had written to Mr Tsvangirai, inviting him to become prime minister as part of the inclusive power-sharing government, but expressed doubt whether he would accept.

"I have sent letters so that they can come and I can swear [in] and appoint them. We have not reached a stage where we can say with a degree of certainty that they want to be part of this," he said.

MDC officials later told the Reuters news agency that they had received no such letters from the president.