He said he would redouble efforts to ensure Robert Mugabe's regime was not seen as "a legitimate representation of the will of the people of Zimbabwe".

 

President Mugabe was the only candidate in a run-off election after opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, winner of the first round, withdrew, citing violence.

 

Mr Miliband said a government must be formed that respected the first result.

 

Thousands of people have fled political violence in Zimbabwe, before and since the disputed presidential election.

 

Meeting refugees in South Africa, Mr Miliband said it was a "man-made tragedy" that affected all of Africa.

 

He said: "No-one who meets the people here could do anything other than redouble their efforts to secure international consensus that the Mugabe regime is not a legitimate representation of the will of the people of Zimbabwe."

 

 He said the international community had to "rally behind" United Nations Security Council resolutions next week in New York.

 

And he said it was "imperative" that a government was formed that respected the result of the first presidential result on 29 March, when official results gave Mr Tsvangirai more votes than Mr Mugabe - but not enough to avoid a run-off.

 

Mr Tsvangirai later pulled out of the presidential run-off, citing violence in the campaign.

His MDC party says 5,000 of its members are still missing.       

 

 

 

Mugabe