This week, the U.N. Security Council is due to discuss a U.S. and British-based proposal for financial and travel restrictions on Mugabe and his top officials as well as an arms embargo on Zimbabwe.

World leaders at a Group of Eight nations summit in Japan also raised the prospect of more sanctions on Zimbabwe unless quick progress is made to end a political crisis after Mugabe's re-election in a poll that drew global condemnation.

"It is the UK that is pushing for sanctions, but isolating and demonising Zimbabwe is not in the best interests of anyone. They should treat Zimbabwe as a partner rather than an enemy," Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga said.

"The people of Zimbabwe made a decision on June 27 and that decision has to be respected."

The sanctions are aimed at punishing Mugabe and his closest aides for holding a presidential run-off election last month that was boycotted by challenger Morgan Tsvangirai, who accused Mugabe of deadly attacks on his supporters.

Mugabe, 84, was sworn in for a new five-year term after election authorities declared he had won a landslide victory. Britain, the United States and many Western nations refuse to recognise his victory and view his government as illegitimate.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband called on Monday for the world to unite on the sanctions proposal.

Tsvangirai won a March 29 election but failed to win the absolute majority needed to avoid a second ballot. He withdrew from the campaign after repeated attacks on supporters of his Movement for Democratic Change by pro-Mugabe militia.

The MDC leader has refused to recognise Mugabe's victory and demanded that violence be stopped and that the result of the March 29 elections be accepted as pre-conditions for any talks with the veteran ruler's government.

The opposition accused Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF of terrorising MDC activists and voters between the March and June polls. The MDC says more than 100 of its followers have been killed in a crackdown by Mugabe's supporters. The party said on Monday that one more body had been found.

Tsvangirai was arrested five times and his lieutenant, Tendai Biti, was detained on a treason charge after returning to the country to participate in the campaign. He could face the death penalty if found guilty.

A Zimbabwean court on Monday postponed proceedings against Biti until August 26. The MDC secretary general is accused of prematurely leaking the results of the March elections. He is currently free on bail.