WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- The U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe was briefly detained after "inadvertently wander(ing) into a poorly marked military area," the State Department said Friday.
The incident occurred Monday while Ambassador Christopher Dell was visiting Harare's botanical gardens, State Department Spokesman Justin Higgins told United Press International.
"While on a recreational visit" to the gardens, Higgins said, Dell "inadvertently wandered into a poorly marked military area."
But an official at the Zimbabwe Embassy in Washington, who refused to give his name, said the restricted zone, which surrounds the residence of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, was "clearly marked and guarded."
"He proceeded (to enter the area) despite a warning," said the official.
Dell was detained for about an hour by military personnel at the site.
Initially, Higgins said, the Zimbabwean Ministry of Foreign Affairs was apologetic about the incident, and senior officials telephoned the embassy that evening -- and then again the following morning -- to apologize, explaining that the troops on duty "did not understand their duties in relation to the ambassador," in Higgins' words.
But Wednesday, the embassy received a protest note from the ministry.
"This was very inappropriate behavior for an ambassador," said the Zimbabwean official.
Higgins said that the Zimbabwean authorities also "began to draw the attention of the news media" to the incident, which he said they characterizing as "an illegal attempt to enter" the restricted area.
"We very much regret that the Zimbabwean authorities chose to deal with the matter this way," said Higgins.
