Ghana and UK Heading for Clash?

Ghana and the United Kingdom may be heading for a clash over President Mugabe of Zimbabwe

The government of Ghana, which now holds the rotating chair of the African Union, has said Mugabe should be invited to the European Union-African summit set for December in Lisbon like any other African leader.

However, the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has threatened to boycott the summit if the Zimbabwean leader is present.

"I believe that, if he attended, President Mugabe would undermine the summit, diverting attention from the important issues that need to be resolved. In those circumstances, my attendance would not be appropriate," Brown wrote in an article in the Independent newspaper.

Ghanaian Foreign Minister Akwasi Osei Adjei told Reuters, last week “it would not be fair not to invite” an African head of state. “So definitely, the invitation will be issued.”

Critics say Mugabe has presided over the collapse of Zimbabwe's economy, now marked by the world's highest inflation rate of about 6,600 percent and joblessness of about 80 percent.

Mugabe blames Western powers for the economic crisis and accuses them of plotting with the opposition to oust him.

He is subject to a European Union travel ban but that could be suspended to allow him to attend the December meeting, which would be the first EU-Africa summit for seven years.

Many African leaders want him there to help tackle the continent's problems and Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates, who holds the six-month EU presidency, wants to launch a dialogue with Africa at the summit.