Mugabe Reiterates He Will Step Down in 2008

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has reiterated that he will retire when his term ends in 2008 and that he is not grooming a successor.

In an interview published in Friday's Jakarta Post, Mr. Mugabe said the next president should come from his ruling Zanu-PF party, which won an overwhelming victory in last month's parliamentary elections.

Mr. Mugabe is attending the Asia-Africa Summit in Indonesia. He repeated his charge that Zimbabwe's main opposition party - the Movement for Democratic Change - is backed by former colonial power Britain, which he accuses of trying to topple his government.

The Zimbabwean leader has led his country since it gained independence in 1980. He has recently come under international and domestic pressure for allegedly rigging the 2002 presidential election to ensure his re-election.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.