Mugabe in Rome for UN food summit

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has arrived in Rome to attend a United Nations food summit.

Robert Mugabe is allowed into the EU for UN business

State television said Mr Mugabe was accompanied by his wife and senior government officials on the trip.

It is Mr Mugabe's first visit to Europe since the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) won a majority in parliamentary elections in March.

Mr Mugabe and his ministers are usually subject to a European Union travel ban - but he is able to attend UN forums.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) summit starts on Tuesday and reports say Mr Mugabe is expected to stay in Italy until Friday.

Mr Mugabe caused a stir at a similar summit in Rome in 2005 when he denounced the then UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George W Bush.

He described them as "unholy men" at the meeting in Rome - to the applause of some delegates.

Opposition arrest

The US, UK and EU are still critical of the Mr Mugabe, who faces a run-off presidential election against the MDC's Morgan Tsvangirai on 27 June.

He has been accused of encouraging post-election violence to intimidate his rival's supporters.

A senior Zimbabwean opposition politician, Arthur Mutambara, was arrested on Saturday over a written attack on Mr Mugabe.

Mr Mutambara recently pledged to work with Mr Tsvangirai to defeat President Mugabe in the run-off elections.