voa标准英语2008-US Says Neighbors Hold Key to Ending Zimbabwe Cr

Rice spoke 3 Monday at a State Department ceremony at which the outspoken 4 U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe, James McGee, was given the department's 2008 "Diplomacy 5 for Freedom" award for his efforts to draw world attention to human rights abuses by the Harare government.

The Secretary said that with most international journalists barred from Zimbabwe earlier this year, McGee organized convoys 6 of foreign diplomats 9 to the countryside to witness what Rice termed a "reign 7 of terror" by the Mugabe government against the political opposition 10 in connection with disputed elections in March and June.

She said the forays led by McGee helped establish truth that could not be ignored, and helped build world pressure for a power-sharing accord in September that Mr. Mugabe has refused to implement 11.

"Ambassador McGee, I know you have tried to work to make the electoral process fair and to make the power-sharing arrangements work. But ultimately, you are working, you are working with and for the United States government to make life better for the Zimbabwean people," she said. "And we deeply hope that will soon come. It will come only, though, if there is a concerted international response - especially by the countries of the region, to the terrible, terrible humanitarian disaster that has now broken out - [not only] the cholera 12 epidemic 13 in Zimbabwe but also to the terrible and outrageous 14 behavior of the Mugabe government."

The State Department earlier urged southern African states to "step up" and use their leverage 15 to end the crisis.

The European Union on Monday extended a travel ban to 11 more Zimbabwean officials, with both EU chief diplomat 8 Javier Solana and French President Nicolas Sarkozy - whose country holds the rotating EU presidency 16 - joining those urging Mr. Muagabe's departure from power.

A spokesman for the Zimbabwean leader in Harare dismissed the calls, saying that Mr. Mugabe is constitutionally elected and that foreign leaders - regardless of how powerful they may be - have no right to call on him top step down.

Zimbabwean officials have also accused foreign officials of exploiting the country's health crisis to rally support against Mr. Mugabe.

State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said Monday that the United States separates humanitarian assistance for Zimbabwe from any political differences it may have with the government.

The U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, last week said it was providing an additional $600,000 to help combat the cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe in addition to a previously-announced $4 million emergency water and sanitation 17 project. USAID said that overall U.S. humanitarian aid to Zimbabwe, including food assistance, since October 2007 has been more than $220 million.