Zimbabwe's former colonial master lost the standoff over whether he or the British prime minister would attend an upcoming European-African summit, Robert Mugabe declared Tuesday.
In his annual state of the nation address, Mugabe also said his nation, suffering chronic shortages of basic goods and worsening power and water outages, continued to defy predictions of economic collapse and social upheaval.
The nation in the past year moved toward what he called "sustained economic recovery notwithstanding the suffering endured by many of our people."
Mugabe, 83, the only ruler since independence from Britain in 1980, accused Britain of masterminding a campaign to keep him from this weekend's European-African summit in Lisbon, Portugal.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is staying away from the Lisbon summit because Mugabe plans to attend. Officials from host Portugal and Spain are among those who say they would prefer Mugabe stay home so as not to divert attention from the economic and political issues on the summit agenda. But Portugal bowed to the African Union's wish that leaders of all its members be invited.
"The sinister campaign by Britain to isolate us continues to disintegrate. I wish to thank European Union and African countries for their support and I thank Portugal for their corrected reading of the situation," Mugabe told lawmakers in the Harare Parliament in the nationwide address broadcast by state television and radio.
In Washington Monday, Jendayi Frazer, assistant secretary of state for African affairs, said the United States "didn't agree" with the decision to invite Mugabe to the summit.
"But it certainly provides an opportunity to discuss Zimbabwe's human rights record and I would hope that the EU and African Union leaders would make it a central issue of discussion at their summit," added Frazer, who announced new travel and financial sanctions against Zimbabwean officials the United States accuses of helping Mugabe tyrannize Zimbabweans. She said she hoped other nations would join the U.S. in imposing targeted sanctions and expanding those already in place.
Inviting Mugabe to Lisbon required a temporary freeze on an EU travel ban on Zimbabwean officials just ahead of the summit.
In Harare Tuesday, Mugabe blamed his country's economic woes on successive drought, Western economic measures against Zimbabwe and profiteering at home.
"The night of trials and tribulations has undeniably been long. We are, however, confident a new dawn is on the horizon," Mugabe said.
In the worst economic crisis since independence in 1980, official inflation is given at around 8,000 percent, the highest in the world.
Independent estimates put real inflation closer to 40,000 percent and the International Monetary Fund has forecast it reaching 100,000 percent by the end of the year.
Parliament, dominated by Mugabe's party, applauded only once during his speech Tuesday _ when he said no external interference will be allowed in national elections in March.
"We will invite friendly and objective members of the international community to observe the elections," he said.
European Union and Western observers have been barred from monitoring two previous polls widely criticized as rigged.
Zimbabwe's main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, looked ahead to the elections in a speech in neighboring Botswana Tuesday, saying a free and fair vote was crucial to ending "the political stalemate in Zimbabwe" and calling for Zimbabweans outside the country to be allowed to vote.
The elections have emerged as the focus of talks between Tsvangirai's and Mugabe's parties mediated by South African President Thabo Mbeki. Tsvangirai called for continued support of Mbeki's efforts, and urged others in the region to "monitor the dialogue."
"We call on our friends, as Zimbabweans, to interest yourselves in what is happening next door. We have a house on fire and our African culture requires you as neighbors to help us put out that fire," he said.
Increasing numbers of Zimbabweans are crossing the border into Botswana, Zambia, South Africa, Mozambique and Namibia, creating economic and social pressure.
