"[3][4] During the build up to the election Zimbabwean human rights groups reported forty-eight deaths of opposition members caused by state violence.

"[5] Although the Organisation of African Unity described the election as "transparent, credible, free and fair", the conduct of the election was strongly condemned by the Commonwealth, Norwegian observers, Zimbabwean opposition figures, the governments of Ghana, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Botswana, Malawi, India, Sri Lanka, Lesotho, Jamaica, Belize, Grenada as well as Western governments and media.

[7] However, France, as led by Jacques Chirac made a conscious decision to try and form an alliance with Mugabe in the wake of these events, leading to condemnation from other western governments.

"[8][9] Ministers were said to be "furious" at the prospect of Grace Mugabe, the President's wife, returning to the stricken country with "crates of luxury goods" while Zimbabwe was in the middle of a self-inflicted crisis that resulted in mass starvation.

A British minister remarked "The thought of Mugabe gorging himself on French food while his people starve is morally repugnant."

[10] About the meeting the U.S. publication the Washington Post wrote: "Who would be irresponsible enough to lend legitimacy to Mugabe, a man whose brutal land-seizure tactics have reduced much of Zimbabwe to starvation?