'Situation embarrassing'

London: African leaders are embarrassed by the situation in Zimbabwe and perhaps could do more to help, but have met stiff resistance from Harare, African Union Chairman John Kufuor said yesterday.

The beating of Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and dozens of others during a crackdown on political protests has sparked world outrage but the response within Africa so far has been relatively muted.

"The African Union is very uncomfortable. The situation in your country is very embarrassing," Kufuor, who is president of Ghana, said in response to a question from a Zimbabwean at the Chatham House think-tank during a state visit in London. "I know personally that presidents like [Nigeria's Olusegun] Obasanjo, [South Africa's Thabo] Mbeki and others have tried desperately to exercise some influence for the better," said Kufuor.