Own Correspondent 

JOHANNESBURG – Finland and Sweden have joined Britain in calling for Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe to be barred from attending a summit of African and European leaders in December. 

Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying he would decide whether to participate only after it is clear who would represent Zimbabwe. 

"I hope that Zimbabwe can be at the meeting at another level (than Mugabe)" Vanhanen said. 

Reinfeldt said the European Union (EU) should take a collective decision on boycotting the summit if Mugabe attended. 

EU president Portugal is planning to host the first summit of EU and African leaders in seven years in December but British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said neither he nor any senior member of the British government will attend alongside Mugabe. 

Critics accuse Mugabe of rigging elections, human rights abuses and presiding over the collapse of Zimbabwe's economy, now marked by the world's highest inflation rate of about 8 000 percent and joblessness of about 80 percent. 

"We are asking the (EU) Portuguese Presidency to tell him that he should not be here and he should certainly not be given a central role," Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said on the sidelines of a meeting of EU leaders in Lisbon. 

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen also said he had not decided whether to attend the December 8-9 summit in Lisbon if Mugabe was invited. 

The Danish leader said serious discussion on Zimbabwe and its human rights was a precondition for Mugabe’s attendance. 

The Czech Republic has also indicated it was considering joining Britain in boycotting the EU-Africa summit if Mugabe showed up. 

"Boycott the summit? It's an option," Czech Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra told reporters. 

"We have not made a decision yet but it's an option to downgrade our participation," he said. 

Mugabe blames Western powers for the economic crisis and accuses them, and former colonial ruler Britain in particular, of plotting with the opposition to oust him. African leaders see him as an independence hero. 

Mugabe is subject to an EU travel ban but the ban can be suspended to allow him to attend the December summit in Lisbon. 

The EU and Africa have failed to organise a summit for years because Britain and other EU states refused to attend if Mugabe did, and African leaders would not attend if he was barred. 

Brown reiterated his warning on Thursday to boycott the summit if the Zimbabwean leader attended. 

"We're not prepared to give any credence or credibility to someone who has so ruthlessly destroyed human rights in his country." 

Portugal has said it will invite all leaders, including Mugabe. It has yet to send the invitations. 

Portugal's Foreign Minister Luis Amado recently said the final guest list would be ready by the end of October. - ZimOnline