British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is to boycott a European Union-Africa summit in Lisbon next month because Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe will attend.
Mr Brown told reporters in London nothing will be gained from dialogue between Britain and Mugabe and that the Zimbabwean leader must "take full responsibility" for the collapse of his country's economy and society.
Gordon Brown
"We will not be prepared to sit down at the same table as Mugabe," Mr Brown said. "We got the invitation last week and we are going," George Charamba, Mr Mugabe's spokesman, said in Mozambique.
Mr Charamba, Mr Mugabe's spokesman dismissed Britain's objections, saying: "The British fear a handshake. We can't expect timid characters to be where men are."
The dispute between cast a shadow on the first meeting between the continents' leaders in seven years.
Previous EU-Africa efforts to meet have foundered over whether Mr Mugabe, accused by the West of widespread human rights violations but who Africa sees as an independence hero, should be invited.
Pressed by rising competition from China in Africa, the EU is determined that this year's summit on Dec. 8-9 should take place, in part to solidify its position as Africa's largest trading partner.
A spokesman for Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade said he would fly to Zimbabwe on tomorrow to meet Mr Mugabe to try to resolve the dispute between Harare and London.
"President Wade's visit is in the framework of the Lisbon summit because in order for the summit to be a success, it is necessary for everyone to be there," presidential spokeswoman Fatou Tandian said in Dakar.