QUESTION: Do you have anything for us on Zimbabwe, the decision by the opposition leader to pull out of the election or out of the runoff?

MR. CASEY: In addition to what the Secretary said in her statement?

QUESTION: In addition to that.

MR. CASEY: Let me just try and paraphrase that for you. First of all, we understand and respect the reasons why Morgan Tsvangirai pulled out of the runoff election. As the Secretary said in her statement, it is abundantly clear that Mugabe's determined to thwart the will of the people of Zimbabwe. And it is equally clear to us that the Mugabe regime cannot be considered legitimate in the absence of a runoff.

So as you know, we are going to be discussing this issue in the Security Council today. We are urging that the South African - Southern African, excuse me, Development Community as well as the African Union take up this issue on an urgent basis. We believe that the international community needs to work together, and particularly those states that have influence over the Zimbabwe regime need to work together to end the violence and to be able to reach a political solution to this crisis.

Yeah, Nina.

QUESTION: Tsvangirai went to the Dutch Embassy.

MR. CASEY: Yeah.

QUESTION: Do you know what's going to happen next with him? Did the U.S. Embassy offer him any sanctuary or any arrangements for his safety?

MR. CASEY: Well, my understanding is, and I've seen Dutch officials speaking to this, that he is presently at the Dutch Embassy. We have not had any communications with him today, so I can't speak to any request he might make to the United States. I'll leave it up to the Dutch in terms of talking about his status there.

Certainly, it's obvious to us and to everyone else that he has concerns about his own security as well as those of his supporters. And that's just reflective of the kind of environment that has been created by the Mugabe regime, which clearly does not want to have to face the voters, and clearly does not want to comply with the will of Zimbabwean people.

QUESTION: And what about any calls between Rice and the Ambassador? Any high-level communications?

MR. CASEY: Well, as you know, the Secretary is traveling and she's en route to Germany right now. I don't have an update on calls she may have made while on the plane. Certainly, this is an issue she is following closely. Jendayi Frazer has been in contact with a number of officials in the region. I know the Secretary did call her South African counterpart yesterday in large measure to discuss the situation in Zimbabwe.

Yeah, Kirit.

QUESTION: Can you tell us a little more about what she'd like to see come out of the Security Council meeting and what, if any, steps the U.S. is prepared to take to pressure the Mugabe government more?

MR. CASEY: Well, first of all, I think it's important that the Security Council session take place. I think it's reflective of the fact that there is widespread concern throughout the international community with the situation in Zimbabwe. Certainly, we would like to see the Council take note of the situation there and act strongly on this subject. But I'll leave it to the members of the Council to discuss specific actions.

We do believe, though, that this is a measure that shouldn't just be a one-off or a one-time discussion in the Council. This is something that really does represent a grave concern for all the international community and it's one that the Council, as well as the other bodies I mentioned - SADC and the African Union - need to be engaged with and need to be engaged with until we can reach a political resolution there.

QUESTION: And is the U.S. considering any sort of other actions that - in order to pressure the Mugabe government - what about sanctions or any other -

MR. CASEY: Well, I think we're - as you know, we already have a fairly strong series of sanctions in place against individuals - leadership of the regime, Mugabe and his immediate family as well as many of his associates. Certainly, we will look at ways that we can strengthen those measures and we'll also look at other diplomatic tools that are available to us to try and make the regime do what is in everyone's best interest, which is end the violence and reach a political accommodation.

Yeah. Viola. Sorry.

QUESTION: What about the - can you tell us more about the Secretary's discussion with Thabo Mbeki yesterday?

MR. CASEY: Well, it wasn't with President Mbeki. It was with Foreign Minister Zuma, as I mentioned. I don't have a detailed readout of that call, but certainly, it was an opportunity for her to reiterate our concerns about the situation in Zimbabwe, as well as to again urge the Government of South Africa to do everything that it could to pressure the Mugabe government to move in a positive direction and, most immediately, ending the violence against opposition supporters and others who are simply trying to express their views, as well as to try and achieve, again, a political settlement of what is fundamentally a political problem in Zimbabwe.

QUESTION: Did she feel any more encouraged after that conversation about what they may do, and -

MR. CASEY: Look, again, I think she expressed our views clearly. We've noted that in recent days we've seen a change in tone in some of the statements from South African officials about this. We would certainly hope that that change in tone would also lead to increased efforts on the part of the South African Government and, more broadly, on SADC's part, to be able to try and resolve this issue.

QUESTION: Is there any consideration that you know of, of President Bush, perhaps, speaking directly to Thabo Mbeki?

MR. CASEY: I'd refer you to the White House on that. I don't have any information about that.

Yeah. Nicholas.

QUESTION: Tom, you said, on the diplomatic moves, isn't it appropriate to at least recall your Ambassador from Zimbabwe?

MR. CASEY: Well, look. I think right now, and I mentioned this this morning when we discussed this, we want to make sure that we are able to understand the situation on the ground to the best of our ability. We want to make sure as well that we have someone and have people there who are able to reach out directly to some of the opposition. And I think, given the discomfort that the Zimbabwean regime has felt at some of the statements and efforts made by Ambassador McGee to respond to the situation there - I don't think we'd want to do anything that would give them the pleasure of seeing Ambassador McGee leave, even on a temporary basis.

QUESTION: But you're saying that this regime or this government is not legitimate anymore. How can you have an ambassador, you know - or an embassy, sort of, accredited to this government if you consider it illegitimate? I mean it's -

MR. CASEY: I'm cranky and it's Monday, so you'll forgive me for saying that we're concerned with practical results and not with the niceties of what sounds good in theory.

Look, Ambassador McGee has been someone who has been very outspoken in terms of calling for change in Zimbabwe. He has continued, along with the Embassy, to do what our diplomats and other diplomats are intending to do there, which is to support peaceful, democratic development in that country. I think it's important that he and our other officials there continue their work. Certainly, if it's appropriate and if the Secretary deems it so for him to, you know, come to the United States for consultations, then we'll do so. But for right now, I think he and his mission are doing a very important and a very effective job there.

Yeah. Kim.

QUESTION: Are you able to elaborate a bit more on what sort of diplomatic tools are available and which ones you think would actually have an impact on Robert Mugabe and his government?

MR. CASEY: Well, look. There's no secret that we, the United States, have a limited ability to influence Mugabe and his regime. And that's why we have emphasized the importance of broader international action on this, including pressure from the South Africans and from others who are direct neighbors to Zimbabwe and who have influence there.

That said, there, you know, are always things that can be done, both in terms of strengthening existing sanctions regimes, as well as other kinds of activities that might be available. I'd also point out, though, that because we recognize the value and the importance of broader international community support and action on this, that is why we are focusing on the discussion in the Security Council today, as well as on energizing SADC to take action, because I think those are some of the ways that we have hope of being able to affect some real change there.

QUESTION: Would you like to see some of the African countries impose economic sanctions?

MR. CASEY: Look, I'm not going to try and be prescriptive for any other governments on this. But certainly, we would hope that the other countries of the region would look very carefully at their full range of relations with Zimbabwe and make determinations for themselves as to how they might be able to convince this regime to end the bloodshed, end the violence, and allow for peaceful change in that country.

Sylvie.

QUESTION: But relying entirely on South Africa, which is accused of being too weak in its dealing with the crisis, aren't you concerned that you are losing all the tools to try to influence the situation on the ground?

MR. CASEY: Well, I think South Africa has an important role to play in this, and we certainly, again, believe that the South Africans, as well as the other members of SADC, can and should do more to respond to this. But it's not an exclusive effort with them. Again, we're focusing on work in the Security Council. We will continue to work with the South Africans and SADC. We're also engaging with other partners in Africa. You heard the Secretary and Prime Minister Odinga of Kenya speak out on this issue last week, and certainly the AU, we believe, has a role to play here as well. But I think it's going to take the concerted effort of the international community more broadly to be able to effectively change the situation.

QUESTION: In your statement, the Secretary calls on the parties - the two parties, to work together. Do you think there is a chance to get to a national unity government? It's - do you think the issue there -

MR. CASEY: Well, I'm not sure if that is a solution, but I think what is clear is that the ZANU-PF is more than just Robert Mugabe. We would hope that there are reasonable individuals within that party who are Zimbabwean patriots first, and part of the Mugabe patronage machine second, who would want to be able to work for the good of their own country with members of the opposition to reach a political settlement.

This is an extract from the daily press briefing by Tom Casey, US State Department Deputy Spokesman, Washington DC June 23 2008