Leaving Harare today my feelings are more of sorrow than of anger

Pierre Schori

Pierre Schori, who was in Zimbabwe on a tourist visa having been refused accreditation by the country's government, flew out of the country on Saturday night to London.

Mr Schori's departure came as Zimbabwe's state TV reported a visit by Mr Mugabe to Mozambique on Sunday to discuss the elections and the "situation in the country" with regional leaders.

Mr Mugabe is expected to hold talks with President Joaquim Chissano and Bakili Muluzi, president of Malawi and chairman of the South African Development Community (SADC).

The SADC is on Monday expected to start sending observers for the presidential elections, but analysts say the organisation lacks the political will to enforce Mr Mugabe's assertions that the poll will be free and fair.

'Sorrow'

Mr Schori's visa, which had a week left to run, was cancelled on Saturday and he was given another visa set to expire at midnight.

"Leaving Harare today my feelings are more of sorrow than of anger," he said before boarding his flight out of the country.

The BBC's Barnaby Phillips says the EU now faces a difficult dilemma: whether to impose sanctions and pull out its 30 monitors, or stay in the hope their presence may reduce violence in the run up to the 9-10 March poll.

Mr Schori had "breached" visa conditions, Zimbabwean minister said

The EU is due to consider the issue on Monday.

Mr Schori refused to comment on the chances of sanctions being applied, saying the issues would be decided by EU foreign ministers when they meet in Brussels on Monday.

It was not immediately clear what, if anything, Mr Schori had done wrong. But he had been warned by Zimbabwean officials that his tourist status meant he should not talk about the upcoming election.

He called Zimbabwe's demands that he not talk with journalists "surprising and unacceptable".

Zimbabwe's Home Affairs Minister, John Nkomo, told the BBC that Mr Schori had violated the conditions under which his visa was granted.

Challenge to Mugabe

Zimbabwe's Government says it will not be bullied into accepting observers from countries deemed hostile to Mr Mugabe.

The government has already said that six European countries are not allowed to send observers.

The government accuses Britain, Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden of supporting the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, is set to pose the toughest challenge yet to Mr Mugabe's 22-year hold on power in the March election.