US seeks apology over diplomat detention

The United States has demanded an apology from Zimbabwe over the questioning and detention of one of its diplomats in Harare last Thursday.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said in statement that a US diplomat was detained and questioned for approximately one hour by authorities, calling the incident "a serious breach of Zimbabwe's obligations ... to protect diplomatic privileges and protections".

Boucher said that the incident took place after police broke up a gathering of Zimbabweans and diplomats wanting to attend a public meeting on the country's political and economic crisis.

He added: "We have called in the Zimbabwe ambassador in Washington to protest this incident and to demand an inquiry, explanation, and apology."

Boucher said it was the third time in a year that government officials or supporters had "detained, robbed, threatened or interfered with US diplomats performing official duties".

In November last year the US protested the mistreatment of two US embassy staff who were detained by pro-government supporters as they tried to inspect the conditions of farm workers outside Harare.

Since the March 2002 presidential election, relations between the two countries have soured. The US has imposed sanctions on leading ruling party members in protest over violations of human rights.