The United States is criticizing Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe for abruptly setting presidential and parliamentary elections for March 29, earlier than expected under a regional plan to restore democracy to the southern African country.

Mugabe’s government announced the decision Friday. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change had demanded constitutional and electoral reforms before the election and said polling should be delayed until June to allow for its demands to be met.

The Southern African Development Community is sponsoring the elections as part of an effort to resolve through dialogue Zimbabwe’s deepening political and economic crisis.

“We have supported the SADC-sponsored effort to resolve the political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe through negotiation between the ruling and opposition parties,” U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said Friday. “We regret that President Mugabe has insisted on proceeding … without having reached an agreement on conditions that would have leveled the playing field for all parties planning to compete in those elections.”

Casey said police assaults on demonstrators Wednesday “is further illustration of the government of Zimbabwe undermining the spirit of the SADC process.”

(Source)