Sanctions against Zimbabwe before U.N.

UNITED NATIONS, July 3 (UPI) -- A resolution that would target sanctions against Zimbabwean leaders was introduced in the U.N. Security Council Thursday by U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad.

"We want to respond to the situation, and respond in a way that encourages a move toward resolving the (election) legitimacy crisis without negatively impacting the people of Zimbabwe who are suffering a great deal in the hands of the regime," Khalilzad told reporters.

The United Nations joined world leaders in denouncing the regime of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, whose party followers waged a campaign of violence and intimidation against opposition party Movement for Democratic Change and its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai. Tsvangirai withdrew from the June 27 runoff because of the state-sanctioned violence he blamed for deaths of dozens of MDC supporters. World leaders said the election was not legitimate.

The resolution would impose targeted sanctions "on those that are responsible for the political crisis," with the hope that they would be moved to resolve the crisis and create a government that represents the Zimbabwean people.

The resolution also addresses humanitarian concerns, Khalilzad said. It calls for the removal of all obstacles to people receiving the assistance they need because of economic circumstances.