BERLIN (Sapa-AFP) - Former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano criticised Europe and the United States for fixating on Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe while his people suffer, in an interview published Wednesday.

"We must think of the people who are suffering under an embargo-like situation. Nobody cooperates with Zimbabwe anymore," Chissano told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

"The Europeans and Americans are focusing too strongly on Mugabe." Chissano said whether Mugabe steps down after next week's presidential run-off election against opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was not as important as the need to rescue Zimbabwe's crippled economy.

"Africans and the rest of the world must try to ensure that the election takes place peacefully and properly and appeal to the parties to respect the outcome.

"Then a new start must be made to improve the economic situation.

For me it is not important whether Mugabe steps down but whether there is a new start."

Chissano is one of 40 leading Africans, including ex-UN chief Kofi Annan, who said in an open letter this month they were "deeply troubled" by reports of intimidation, harassment and violence in the run-up to the June 27 vote.

But he told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung heaping pressure on Mugabe's regime could be counter-productive.

"The election is not over, so I cannot say yet whether Mugabe must go. One must leave him the opportunity for dialogue.

"Change that is brought about by pressure does not last. Whenever pressure has been exerted on Zimbabwe, the situation has worsened."