Responding to reports that Zimbabwe’s opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has
decided to pull out of next week’s presidential run-off, Liberal Democrat
Leader, Nick Clegg said:

"It is a huge disappointment that Robert Mugabe with violence, terror and
murder has succeeded in intimidating the MDC out of an election.

"Today’s announcement must finally be the catalyst for aggressive action
against Zimbabwe, rather than the moment the world decided to forget the plight
of this suffering nation.

"Britain must now work with the EU and the UN to draw up immediate measures
to force President Mugabe out of power. We must liaise closely with Mozambique
and South Africa to restrict electricity supplies into Zimbabwe, to impose a
possible petrol embargo and a temporary halt of foreign currency
remittances.

"While these measures will hit ordinary Zimbabweans too, they might, if
implemented swiftly, succeed where all else has failed to force Mugabe’s regime
out of power."