·The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said on the presidential run-off  is still on.
·Chiweshe told journalists that it was too late for MDC leader to pull out of the election.
·The commission was ready for the election as logistics had been put in place. 

    HARARE, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) said on Wednesday the presidential run-off set for June 27 is still on, dismissing the opposition MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai's withdrawal from the race.

    ZEC Chairperson Justice George Chiweshe told journalists that it was too late for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader to pull out of the election.

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe greets supporters of his ruling ZANU PF in Banket, 93 km (58 miles) west of the capital Harare, June 24, 2008. Mugabe defied mounting pressure on Tuesday from both inside and outside Africa to call off Friday's presidential election, saying he had a legal obligation to go ahead.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Chiweshe said the commission met earlier in the day to deliberate on the issue, following the submission of the withdrawal letter by Tsvangirai on Tuesday.

    "It was unanimously agreed that the withdrawal had inter alia been filed well out of time and for that reason the withdrawal was of no legal effect. Accordingly, the commission does not recognize the purported withdrawal and is therefore proceeding with the presidential run-off election as planned," he said.

    Chiweshe said ballot papers had since been printed and dispatched.

A man sticks an election campaign poster of President Robert Mugabe onto a commuter bus at a local gas station in Bulawayo June 24, 2008. African pressure mounted on Tuesday for Mugabe to call off a June 27 election after the U.N. Security Council issued an unprecedented condemnation of violence against opposition supporters.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Tsvangirai, who is pitted against ZANU-PF candidate President Robert Mugabe in the election, announced Sunday his withdrawal from the race, saying political violence and intimidation made the run-off difficult to be a free and fair poll.

    Justice Chiweshe told observers and other stakeholders on Monday that the country would still hold credible elections despite the various incidences of political violence that occurred.

    "We do not have a war in the country, generally there is peace," he said. "You never have an election (anywhere in the world) that is 100 percent perfect and I believe we can hold a free and fair election."

    He said the commission was ready for the election as logistics had been put in place.

    The Friday run-off follows failure by both candidates to garner a majority vote in the harmonized elections held on March 29.

    Three by-elections are also to be held on Friday. 

U.S. denounces Zimbabwe's elections due on Friday

    WASHINGTON, June 25 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush said Wednesday Zimbabwe's planned presidential run-off election on Friday "appear to be a sham" and urged the African Union (AU) to increase pressure on the Zimbabwean government.

    "Friday's elections, you know, appear to be a sham," Bush said during a meeting with UN. Security Council permanent representatives.  Full story

Zimbabwean opposition leader willing to talk with Mugabe

    BRUSSELS, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has expressed willingness to hold talks with President Robert Mugabe to try to find a solution to the political crisis in Zimbabwe, Dutch paper De Volkskrant reported Wednesday.

    The leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is seeking asylum in the Dutch embassy in Zimbabwe's capital Harare. He told the paper by telephone that his party is open to finding ways out of this situation.  Full story

Newspaper: S. African ruling party rejects outsider intervention in Zimbabwe election

    HARARE, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The ANC, South Africa's ruling party, has rejected any outside diplomatic intervention in the Zimbabwean matter, arguing that any attempts by outside players to impose regime change will merely deepen the problems in Zimbabwe, The Herald newspaper reported on Wednesday.

    The ANC was quoted as saying in a statement on Tuesday that it was concerned with the situation in Zimbabwe, but it evoked Zimbabwe's colonial history and insisted that outsiders had no role to play in ending its current problems. Full story

SADC countries discuss Zimbabwe issue

    JOHANNESBURG, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Swaziland's King Mswati III, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete and an Angolan representative met Wednesday in Swaziland to discuss the political situation in Zimbabwe, which is due to hold a presidential run-off Friday.  Full story