Mr Mbeki could put a stranglehold on Zimbabwe's resources

War veterans scaring the independent-minded Chief Justice into resigning and the murder of Gloria Olds, the mother of a farmer assassinated a year ago, will not make Mr Mugabe's diplomatic offensive any easier.

Since the IMF cut off aid in 1999, Zimbabwe has experienced acute shortages of foreign currency, meaning it has been unable to pay for vital imports of fuel and electricity, along with more mundane, but job creating items such as car assembly kits and computers.

However charming Mr Mugabe may be, France is unlikely to fill a gap running into millions of US dollars.

Mbeki's influence

The man who does have real power over Zimbabwe is South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki.

Some members of the opposition MDC have called on him to stop supplying fuel to Harare on credit.

This would immediately mean even longer petrol queues and power cuts - greatly increasing the domestic pressure on Mr Mugabe.

But such a drastic step would impose further hardships on Zimbabwe's beleaguered population, meaning more economic refugees crossing the River Limpopo into South Africa - the last thing that Mr Mbeki wants.

Shared history

Despite recent signs that Mr Mbeki may be losing patience, especially over the intimidation of the judiciary and media, South Africa is unlikely to issue an outright condemnation of Mr Mugabe.

Both governments share a history of fighting white minority regimes and these ties, which go back a generation to Mr Mbeki's father Govan, still run deep.

While Mr Mugabe's attempt to establish an "entente cordiale" with France may not solve his many economic woes, the hope in some foreign capitals of forcing Mr Mugabe out by remote control seems forlorn.

Only Zimbabwe's population has that power and many of them are afraid that voting against the man that brought them freedom 21 years ago, would now plunge the country into civil war.

Joseph Winter reported for the BBC from Zimbabwe. He was recently expelled by the Harare authorities.