The European Union is moving closer to applying sanctions against Zimbabwe over its human rights record and its failure to halt seizures of white-owned farms.
At a meeting in Luxembourg next Monday, the EU's 15 foreign ministers are likely to take appropriate measures as outlined in the Cotonou Agreement between the Union and African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, EU diplomats said today.
The measures refer to the EU's right under the accord to demand consultations with any signatory state which it considers to have failed to respect human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law.
Failure to rectify the alleged rights abuses would trigger a reduction or redirecting of EU economic aid to the country, the diplomats said.
Zimbabwe this week rejected an EU request that it respond by next week to its offer to send observers to monitor presidential elections next April, saying it would not answer an ultimatum.
EU diplomats said they felt Mr Mugabe, in power since 1980, had so far failed to honour the Nigerian-brokered deal.