(IPS) feature

The US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Walter Kansteiner, said this week his government was worried that Zimbabwe, a once strong country, was headed for disaster.

Worried about the breakdown in the rule of law, the US last week proposed a bill that will see punitive measures imposed against Zimbabwe's leadership if it does not end months of political violence.

But Kansteiner, who had hoped to meet president Robert Mugabe during his visit here, failed to meet him.

Asked if he was disappointed that he had failed to meet President Mugabe, the US official could only say they had made a request to meet him if he was available.

The US official however met with Zimbabwe's foreign affairs minister, the finance minister and the speaker of Parliament. Kansteiner described the discussions as ''good, free and frank''.

Ongoing political violence

But addressing a press conference later in the city, Kansteiner said his government is deeply worried about the ongoing political violence and human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.

''Zimbabwe is a tremendously important country in Africa and in southern Africa region in particular,'' said Kansteiner.

''It (Zimbabwe) has a great tradition of being a strong and well managed country. It's a country that has tremendous economic potential, wonderful natural resources and a population base that is literate, smart and hardworking,'' noted Kansteiner.

''Unfortunately, today the rights and freedoms of Zimbabweans are being threatened and seeing the nation's laws not being applied. Journalists being arbitrarily arrested and we have seen opposition candidates experiencing the same,'' said Kansteiner.

It is this breakdown in the rule of law, that Kansteiner said had brought great concern not just to the US ''but to the international community who in the last week have realised that Zimbabwe does not seem to headed on the right path''.

Threat of sanctions

Although the Zimbabwean government has rebuked the threat of sanctions, Kansteiner noted that there was still time for the government to avoid the harmful effects of the Zimbabwe Democracy Bill.

Kansteiner cited the holding of free and fair elections and halting of government supported political violence as some of the preconditions for Mugabe's government to qualify for debt relief and additional funding.

Kansteiner said they would use the benchmark of the regional inter-parliamentary SADC-Parliamentary Forum to determine whether next year's presidential elections will be free and fair.

President Mugabe on Tuesday announced that elections will be held in March but says the date will be announced in due course.

Political analysts say Mugabe, in power since independence in 1980, is facing his strongest threat yet. Presidential elections are due by April next year.

The USAID agency is supporting the SADC Parliamentary Forum to develop regional electoral standards and norms that would be used as yardsticks in assessing elections.

Suggested standards include having an independent Electoral Commission, equal access to public media and the impartiality of government security forces throughout the period of elections.

Standards not met

But at present, all these standards, are not being met by president Mugabe's government.

Southern Africa foreign affairs ministers who met in Harere have said they do not support sanctions on Zimbabwe as this will have a ripple effect on the region.

But they too, stressed that they were greatly worried about the political situation in Zimbabwe which they fear could become explosive if not handled carefully.

For the past two years, Zimbabwe has endured direct and indirect economic sanctions after it fell out with the international world over differences inupholding the rule of law and Zimbabwe's costly decision to send thousands of troops to the DRC.

Rule of law

But the US insists the Zimbabwe Democracy Bill is not a sanctions bill.

''The bill has a good many provisions that in fact bode very well for Zimbabwe in fact if the rule of law is restored and there is an electoral process that is free and fair.

There is tremendous benefits waiting for Zimbabwe in terms of serious consideration of debt relief and additional funding in a number of areas,'' said Kansteiner.

''It does have potential restrictions that will be imposed upon government elites only. The people of Zimbabwe will not be affected by those restrictions and in that sense it is not a sanctions bill and we are glad its not,'' he added.

Greatly concerned

SADC countries have been cautioned by Zimbabwe against supporting calls for sanctions.

''There can be no sanctions smart enough to affect Zimbabweans alone. Our destinies are intertwined,'' Stan Mudenge, Zimbabwe's foreign minister said.

''We are being opposed for not accepting the mini dosages of justice being offered our people, when in fact doing so would perpetuate the deprivation of our people,'' added Mudenge.

Lillian Patel, the Malawian foreign minister and head of the SADC team, said the regional economic bloc was greatly worried about the situation in Zimbabwe.

''We are here as your friends because we are greatly concerned. We do not support sanctions.''