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Morgan Tsvangirai told reporters that conditions were not suitable for dialogue with President Robert Mugabe.

Earlier, a spokesman for Mr Mugabe welcomed the call for dialogue.

Mr Tsvangirai said the AU should appoint another mediator to join South Africa's leader Thabo Mbeki in his efforts to resolve the poll crisis.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader boycotted last week's presidential run-off citing widespread state-sponsored violence

Militias on rampage

At the end of a two-day summit which ended in Egypt on Tuesday, AU leaders approved a resolution calling for the "creation of a government of national unity" in Zimbabwe.

After the meeting, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, whose country holds the European Union's rotating presidency, said the EU "will not accept a government other than one led by Mr Tsvangirai".

Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said Mr Mugabe had already called for dialogue before the Sharm el-Sheikh meeting.

"It is only endorsing what the president said, that he is going for national dialogue and is open to anyone who is willing to talk, not national unity concocted by the West," he told the AFP news agency.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwean journalist Themba Nkosi told the BBC that ruling party militias known as the "Green Bombers" have been on the rampage in Bulawayo targeting commuter taxi operators and drivers.

The militias are accusing the drivers of failing to campaign for Zanu-PF after being allocated free fuel by the party at government-owned filing stations, he says.

(BBC)

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