PM: Deportations to Zimbabwe halted

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The Prime Minister told MPs that while officials continued to deal with the issue on a case-by-case basis, no returns were currently taking place.

"No-one is being forced to return to Zimbabwe from the United Kingdom at this time," he said.

Mr Brown, who has been under pressure to stop the deportations in the wake of the violence surrounding the disputed presidential election, said that ministers were also looking to help failed Zimbabwean asylum seekers who were unable to work.

"They are prevented from leaving the UK through no fault of their own," he said. "They are provided with accommodation and vouchers to ensure that they are not destitute but we are looking to see what we can do to support Zimbabweans in this situation."

Mr Brown, who was making a Commons statement on this week's G8 summit in Japan, appealed to the entire international community to back the imposition of United Nations' sanctions on Robert Mugabe's regime.

British officials had thought they had the support of the entire G8 for a resolution in the UN Security Council after the leaders signed up to a statement calling for measures against regime figures responsible for the violence.

However, on the final day of the summit, Russia - one of the five permanent Security Council members with the power of veto - denounced the draft resolution drawn up by Britain and the US as "excessive". With the position of China - another permanent member - also unclear, Mr Brown said detailed negotiations were now taking place at the UN headquarters in New York.

He acknowledged that the draft resolution - which also calls for an arms embargo on Zimbabwe - went further than the G8 statement, but urged members to support it.

"It is very important that the whole weight of the international community is behind the efforts to secure a transition in Zimbabwe," he said. "I believe that time is short for doing that and it is very important that the UN pass its resolution as soon as possible. I hope that all countries and all continents will come behind it."