STATEMENT: The Global Zimbabwe Forum (GZF) notes with critical concern the deteriorating political situation in Zimbabwe and calls for more commitment from all the interested parties and relevant stakeholders in seeking a peaceful and decisive resolution to the crisis in Zimbabwe.

We also note with concern the continued escalation of political violence and reprisals as facilitated by state institutions such as the army and the police and call for the restoration of peace, law and order in the country.

We insist that the 27th June 2008 run-off election was an exercise in national electoral fraud that should not be given any form of legal and political recognition whatsoever.

We further express our utter disappointment with the just ended African Union summit in Egypt that seems to have condoned Robert Mugabe and apparently accepted substantially his illegal claim to the nation's office of the Presidency.

We declare that at the moment there is no person that is legally entitled to be recognised as the duly elected head of state or government in Zimbabwe.

Further to that, we insist the proposals for a government of national unity must be taken in their proper context since they risk being seen as a deliberate affront to the democratic will of the masses of Zimbabwe.

We express our disappointment with the impact of President Thabo Mbeki's mediation role thus far and he is no longer credible enough to continue as the sole mandated mediator.

As a way forward we support the call for an expanded mediation effort that should include some eminent African persons as appointed by the AU in consultation with SADC.

We call for an all inclusive transitional authority process that shall seek to unite the largely polarised nation, depoliticise all key state institutions and embark on a serious economic recovery process.

The transitional authority must be given a maximum of two years after which elections shall be held under a new people based national Constitution in terms of internationally acceptable electoral terms and conditions.

Issued in Geneva on Thursday July 3 2008 by Mr Daniel Molokele, Co-ordinator. – ZimOnline