A UN security Council Resolution to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe's president, Robert Mugabe, and 11 senior members of his government was vetoed Friday by China and Russia. It would have imposed a travel ban on Mugabe and freeze their assets abroad.
The United States pushed hard for the sanctions after after Mugabe ignored the Security Council's appeal to postpone the June 27 presidential runoff election.The Chinese ambassador said they should give Zimbabwe more time to solve its own problems.
U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said, "China and Russia have stood with Mugabe against the people of Zimbabwe ... for reasons that we think are not borne out by the facts on the ground. The U-turn on the Russian position is particularly surprising."
