MUGABE RIDICULES AFRICAN BRAVERY !

Mr Mugabe has claimed there is an international plot to invade Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has said African leaders are not brave enough to force him from power, the state-run Herald newspaper reports.

He told a meeting of his Zanu-PF party that the US was encouraging African countries to oust him, but said it would not be easy to send in an army.

Mr Mugabe also said he would soon meet his political rivals to try to break the deadlock over a unity government.

But the opposition MDC says abductions of its members threatens the talks.

"More than 42 members have been abducted," Morgan Tsvangirai, Movement for Democratic Change leader, said in Botswana.

How could African leaders ever topple Robert Mugabe, organise an army to come? It is not easy Robert Mugabe

"If these abductions do not cease immediately and if all abductees are not released or charged in a court of law by 1 January 2009, I will be asking the MDC's national council to pass a resolution to suspend all negotiations and contact with Zanu-PF."

Zimbabwe is gripped by economic collapse and a cholera epidemic. The United Nations on Thursday reported that the death toll from the disease had risen to 1,123 and 20,896 people had been infected.

'Terror campaign'

Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade is the latest in an increasing number of senior African politicians calling for Mr Mugabe to quit.

WHERE AFRICA STANDS Critical of Robert Mugabe - Botswana's president has called for fresh elections - Kenya's PM wants African governments to oust Mr Mugabe - Senegal's president says Mr Mugabe should give up power - Zambia's late president called the region's silence over election violence "scandalous" Pro power-sharing - Southern African Development Community (Sadc) maintains power-sharing is the only solution - South Africa, the regional powerhouse, backs Sadc - The African Union says a unity cabinet is the only way forward - Nigeria's foreign minister says he shares "moral outrage" about Zimbabwe, but backs dialogue

He told the French newspaper La Croix that he had supported Mr Mugabe in the past but was forming the view that the Zimbabwean president was now the cause of his country's problems.

In an address to his party's central committee, Mr Mugabe referred to recent comments by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice calling for southern African leaders to pressure the Zimbabwean leadership to resolve the country's political deadlock.

He said she "condemned" African leaders for not being prepared to topple him and bring about regime change.

"How could African leaders ever topple Robert Mugabe, organise an army to come? It is not easy," he said, according to the Herald.

"I do not know of any African country that is brave enough to do that."

He also told the committee, ahead of Zanu-PF's annual conference which starts on Friday, that he would soon meet the main opposition leaders to resolve a power-sharing agreement that has been deadlocked since September.

But those talks looked to be in doubt after Mr Tsvangirai accused Zanu-PF of conducting a deliberate and targeted national terror campaign to undermine the MDC's support.

He said Robert Mugabe's regime repeatedly broken the spirit of the September power-sharing agreement.

BBC NEWS REPORT.