Shame on Europe for allowing such a vicious ,mentally ill dictator to have any kind of stand at all. Mugabe should be imprisoned for crimes rather than feted by Europe.

Simon, London, UK

The Eu has a moral vacuum inherent in how it makes decisions. The path of least honor is always chosen - the Mugabe horror points this out very well. Thanks Britain for being one to take a stance.

kris yoder, Pass,

Zimbabwe is safer than SouthAfrica and any othe developed country youcan think of.Thre are no murders like we see in the west.Gun and yob culture doesnt exist in Zimbabwe.People act for the midea for cash.Its all hollywood what you see about Zimbabwe on telly.No wonder why the Home Office has decided to deport Zmbabwean assylum seekers because they ave done a thorough investigation and have come to realise that it was ll politics.Brown is trying tocaver his face because Mugabe is one of the few leaders with the guts to call a spade a spade.He is just a victm of colonialism.The opposition called for the unwarranted sanctions wich are hurting the rural folks who suffered more during te warof liberation.Greedy has supersided patriotism.Our brothers and sisters fought and died for the land.They did not die in vain.Britain should honour the lancaster house agreement.Conservative or new Labour, its all Britain.Bilateral issues should be treated bilaterally not through arm-twisti

Chematama, Harare, Zimbabwe

Clare Short is just a racist, bitter politician so her comments are frankly irrelevant.
However , on the other side, if Mugabe had been President Botha one does wonder whether all/any African Countries would be present although, sadly, they are usually represented when there is a sign of a further hand-out.
Why is it that European governments accept a notorious black tyrant with open arms but would seriously consider declaring war on him if he were white? It smacks of racism not to treat them equally unless of course the European governments judge them differently by expecting more of someone who is white? What a horrendous thought!!

Pedro Tam, london, u.k

Thank God baroness Amos appears not to be the idiot some white supremacists expected her to be in Lisbon!

John Iteshi, London, UK

Amazing that Britain is up in arms over the situation in Zimbabwe when over 40 yrs ago remained absolutely silent on apartheid in South Africa. I do recall the Queen insisting that Thatcher impose economic sanctions on the apartheid regime and she refused. The US as well remained silent on apartheid. And all of a sudden, Mugabe is the worst thing since Stalin. Britain and America need to get both their houses in order before telling other countries what is and what's not good for them. American and Britain are in no position to be the moral guardian of the world.

Kema, London,

Well, Chancellor Angela Merkel did this the right way at the conference- she got stuck into the issue and addressed it forthrightly and openly; making it clear that she was on the side of the oppressed people of Zimbabwe. Mr. Mugabe couldn't miss it - he was sitting right in the audience- right in the line of fire. Mrs. Merkel addressed the issue, while Mr. Brown cowered at home. Who is the more effective leader? One of the tragedies here is that the politically correct brigade in Britain and Labour Ministers are too supportive of Mr. Mugabe, and always find excuses for his atrocities and thuggish ways. Fortunately for the EU, Mrs. Merkel is made of sterner stuff and is willing to speak out.

Doug, Glasgow,

Why pick on Mugabe? A good number of theAfrican heads of state at summit have worse human rights records than him, have economies that are in a worse state than his and are elected in a manner that makes Mugabe's election every four years look like an epitomy of democracy. Life is still better in Zimbabwe under Mugabe than in many other African countries, whose leaders Brown is apparently happy to shake hands with.

Nic, Weybridge, UK

The so-called white Zimbabwe farmers were not entitled to Zimbabwean land they grabbed it violently from the Shona and Ndebele empire in 1896, they kept the land they inhereted from their fore-fathers for 100 years. The major problems with these white farmers they are very arrogant and they report lies about Zimbabwe, they were asked to share the land with black Zimbabwe and they refused, because they thought superior than black zimbabweans.

If they white white farmers still want to farm in Zimbabwe they should re-apply for the land just like black Zimbabweans, and stop going to the media to report their grievancies, they should go to the traditional chiefs of Zimbabwe, village head and ministry of lands in Zimbabwe. Otherwise you can report whatever you want to report about these farmers but the truth is the land reform is real and it is irreversible no matter how the situation becomes.

Mwana Wevhu, London, UK

Cowards!

C Heathcote, Tonbridge,

Britain never cared about what happens to ordinary people in zimbabwe, we have zimbabwean asylum seeker living here but their human rights are not respected. The home office said zimbabawe was safe and people can be deported there a will. There is no point for Brown to challeng Mugabe on human right while his Home Office beleives Zimbabwe is safe. They call Zimbabwean bogus refugees here so I am glad Brown is not going to challenge anything from Mugabe. The problem we have in Zimbabwe was caused by the labour government so they need to talk to Mugabe bilateraly and get it solved, there is nothing we will be able to do unless Mugabe get what he was promised on independence.

msk5, Sheffield, South Yorks

@ Seb Carroll -- "Other African leaders will fall into line soon enough."

When exactly will they do this? When there are no more white zimbabwians left? When the only Black Zimbabwian with anything to eat is a member of ZanuPF?
That view is a close to Chamberlains 'Peace in our time' comment and as gutless as the rest of the EU and their allowing Mugabe to attend the conference. Rather than stand with their own member state, one who is a fairly major fund provider to the EU and Africa, they cave in to a ruthless, murdering thug and his supporters. I am not sure which I find more disgusting, that the EU allowed Mugabe to attend or that they did not back Britain and even had the nerve to lecture us. Another reason to say no to a common EU foreign policy, one that would be based on appeasement and cowardice.

Nicholas, London,

I suppose Mr Mugabe and his cronies will be strutting their stuff and feeding their egos as well as their bellies.
They will bite the hand that has helped them so much, they will say AH, WE HAVE CHINA NOW, and all the money they want, and go away EUROPEAN.

And the welfare of the people of Zim? what then? Are the Chinese helping with starvation, tuberculosis, aids, practical assistance? There is always tears before bedtime.
Poor old Zim !!!!!!!!!!!

maggawags, weymouth, Dorset uk

What an absolute disgrace this spectacle is. The EU, and Brown in particular, should be ashamed of themselves. Mugabe is a genocidal maniac and should be reminded of it by all around him at every opportunity.

Events in Darfur, despicable as they are, do not lessen Mugabe's crimes. Entertaining this dangerous clown does nothing to save his victims or those of other African nations ruled by similar despots.

To have invited representatives of these regimes tacitly provides support for their agendas. If nothing else, it frames the hypocrisy of Blair's stance on the spreading of democratic values and spotlights the schizophrenic nature of Britain's foreign policy under Labour. Ethical foreign policy? My foot!

Edwin Thornber, Bucharest,

Whatever happened to this countries spine?

Thousands of white Zimbabweans are having their farms confiscated and hundreds have been murdered and beaten in plainly racist activity. Its funny how the only race that the UK government will not protect from racism is white Anglo Saxons.

The same fate has been visited upon their farm workers. Genocide has been commited in Mugabes name when people vote the wrong way or belong to the wrong tribe.

And yet we and the EU will pander to him and his fellow dictators.

Never, ever again, will I dontate money to help Africans whilst these creatures rule in Africa, tormenting the population and creaming off aid into Swiss bank accounts.

Geoff Miller, London, England

Like most Zimbabweans, I feel let down.Let down by my so called president, let down by our regional organisation (sadc), let down by the African Union for turning a blind eye to the human abuses in Zimbabwe.
My last hope was with the European Union, but unfortunately it looks like they too, like me, are becoming victims of mugabe's dictotorship.Here in Britain, there has been a lot of talk about how bad the human abuses are in Zimbabwe etc.Now the chance has come to go and tell it to his face, they chicken out!
As an ordinary Zimbabwean, that chance never presents itself.Like Britain, I criticize the man in the safety of my home because otherwise i will be beaten to a pulp in broad day light by Mugabe's thugs and no one would care.
Mugabe was banned from entering the EU but where is he on this day? EU states should have decided collectively on whether to invite this dictator or not if they really cared about the feelings of Zimbabean people.Has the world grown a soft spot for him?

mafirakureva, london, uk

Mugabe is the walking living figure of Political Correctness. Condermn him at your peril, and you will be damned as a rascist. Black Africans who dare to speak out have no support from African countries but are condemned as modern day 'Uncle Toms.' If Mugabe was white, even better a member of an extreme right wing party, Brown would be there at the summit berating him. Shame on all those cowards, black & white who do not take the opportunity to stand up and demand his arrest for mass murder.

Anne Wotana Kaye, London, England

everyone knows Zimbabwe is a mess apart from seemingly the other african nations who could have done most to stop this and have chosen not to, most even supporting Zimbabwe.

When Mugabe goes and the country starts to rebuild, huge sums will be needed to even stabilise the siutation. I suspect the UK will help, but I believe every penny we do give should be at the expense of withdrawn funding from those African nations that supported Mugabe... and thats most of them. In that way we help those most in need who were helpless under Mugabe and at the same time use the withdrawl of our funding to the other african nations of how they have resigned their international obligations just to support one of their own.
Leaving millions to lose their homes and lives in the process, they should be ashamed.

anthony totton, L|ondon,

Is Lord Carrington in the house? No? Pity....

GK, Calgary, Canada

Britain is one of the world super powers, and on top of that the former ruler of Zimbabwe: I am shocked that we are keeping quiet at the summit. It will appear that we are condoning Mugabe's actions.

However, I do think it is very important that the issue of Zimbabwe is not allowed to overshadow other problems in Africa.

Allie, Oxford,

The silence of EU and African "leaders" speaks volumes. The horror continues. Only Bishop Tutu has courage and stature.

James, Jacksonville,

I can't believe that the UK is going to stand back and twiddle it's thumbs in the face of the horrific atrocities Mugabe has committed. To sit there and be silent when we have an opportunity to speak out against this situation is a complete joke. It makes a mockery of this country - how can we call ourselves civilized when we pick and choose who deserves our help based on economic policies and international relations instead of on basic human need?
The people of Zimbabwe deserve more than this.

Justine, Norwich, UK

Since when does Britain "keep quiet" about important matters of conscience and human rights in World affairs?

The Blair years - and now, it seems, the Brown years, have not only been disasters for British foreign policy...they have been disasters for Britain!

Garth Strong, San Diego, USA/CAL

I live in Cape Town, South Africa. The influx of Zimbabweans into this town is horrific. I spoke to an old lady with a young child this morning. She told me that zanupf thugs had murdered her son and daughter-in-law and she had to flee to South Africa with the child. The behaviour of Africa's leaders and the EU as regards mugabe's attendance is an insult to humanity in general and the people of Zimbabwe, in particular. Shame on the EU and shame on Africa's Trade Union of dictators

Patience Mangwende, Cape Town, South Africa

Why don't Human Rights groups have him arrested for crimes against humanity??

Phill, The Wirral, England

Of course the EU won't say anything serious about Mugabe. They'd much prefer for everyone to step around tricky subjects so there can be photo shoots with everyone shaking hands thereby allowing to claim that the summit was a complete success and validates the importance of the EU.

HarryH, London,

Oh how the influence and authority of the UK have sunk in this new EU. In the days of Margaret Thatcher this sort of snub would not have happened.

The decline of the UK in the EU began with Tony Blair especially when he agreed and pushed for the eastward expansion of the EU to take in Eastern European countries thinking that new EU countries like Poland and Czech would side with the UK and halt the influence of the Franco-German policies. How wrong he was.

Now it would appear that the EU values Robert Mugabe more than Gordon Brown.

The Blair years were a disaster for UK foreign policy.

george, london, uk

Mugabe has constantly insulted this country, scoffed at our parliament and ridiculed Britain as a nation run by gay men.Then Brown sends a woman to represent us.The big puff!

Tony Flanagan, leeds, uk

One unpleasant guest should not be allowed to spoil the entire dinner party, and this summit is bigger than Mugabe. Civilised behaviour is the order of the day. Other African leaders will fall into line soon enough.

Seb Carroll, London,

what can the world do about Mugabe's regime, is it EU's main
not for Zimbabwian community, why should anyone may trust
Mr R.Mugabe,Robert Mugabe promissed Zimbabwian long-
time ago,and now every one can see, how mugabian's have
twisted everything,the whole country on it's knee,starvation &
poverty on the dorstep,how the world is viewing this this dictato
while the good old EU-masters only concern about China's
trade, with African states, I suppose, I am wrong to think in this
this selfish peoples gathering,what mugabe may do to people
is not a concern,it's EU's-v-China the trades,buying & seling!
Cllr Ken Tiwari(Oxford UK)

Cllr Ken Tiwari, Oxford, United Kingdom

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing". Burke must be turning in his grave.

How can this man be allowed by humanity to continue destroying a nation. Shame on those who will sit and eat with him in Lisbon. In his mind it gives him credibility.

Peter, Dublin, Ireland

Strange days indeed.

Ike Eisenhower, Brisbane, Australia