Mugabe visits Europe

Britain is expecting France, Belgium and the European Commission to support its critical stance towards President Robert Mugabe during the Zimbabwean leader's visit to European capitals this week, 'The Star' newspaper reported. The ostensible reason for Mugabe's trip, which began in Brussels on Monday and continues on Tuesday with talks with French President Jacques Chirac in Paris, is to discuss the possibility of a deal for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where close to a third of the Zimbabwean army is based. But according to one British official quoted by 'The Star': "We'd like them (European allies) to read the riot act."