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WASHINGTON - The United States on Wednesday said US citizens should consider delaying planned trips to Zimbabwe until at least the end of next month after March 9 and 10 elections.

The State Department said in a statement that the security situation in the country ahead of the polls was deteriorating as President Robert Mugabe moves to fight off the biggest challenge yet to his 22-year term in office from opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

"US citizens residing in or traveling to Zimbabwe should be aware of continuing conditions that could adversely affect their personal security in the period preceding, during and possibly immediately after, the presidential election," it said.

It urged Americans now in Zimbabwe to exercise caution when traveling within the country, avoid demonstrations and "refrain from taking pictures or videos of political rallies."

"American citizens should consider postponement of non-essential travel until at least March 31, 2002," it added.

The statement noted that Mugabe, whom the State Department has harshly criticized in recent months, had pushed through a tough new security law that makes it illegal to undermine the president's authority or engender hostility towards him, including speaking negatively about him in public.

The law also makes it a crime to speak negatively of the police.

Earlier Wednesday, Zimbabwe's parliament delayed debate on a bill that would impose heavy curbs on local press and ban foreign journalists from working permanently in the country. Nampa-AFP

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