Land reform ruling in Zimbabwe

HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Zimbabwe's Supreme Court has allowed the government to proceed with its controversial land reform programme, pending a ruling on the legality of the plan.

The government had appealed against a Supreme Court order which prevented the state acquiring white-owned farmland for black resettlement until it produced a "workable programme of land reform."

In a written judgement issued on Tuesday, carried by Reuters news agency, the court said: "Pending determination of this matter and without in any way pre-judging any of the preliminary issues ... the ... applicant is hereby granted leave to proceed ...with applications for confirmation (of land acquisition) orders."

Zimbabwe has been isolated by the international community over Mugabe's endorsement of the invasion of more than 1,000 white owned farms since February 2000.

At the beginning of last month, Mugabe supported a Nigerian-brokered agreement to end the land seizures in exchange for funds from former colonial ruler Britain to implement a fair land reform programme.

But recent media reports have said pro-government militants were still trying to seize property illegally.

President Robert Mugabe, who is on a visit to Thailand, told the country's board of trade on Tuesday that Britain was trying to sabotage his country's foreign trade relations.

He said Britain was using the issue of land reform to put pressure on Zimbabwe's trade partners.

"They (Britain) have even gone to the extent of going to Arab countries ... where we import oil, to persuade them not to sell to Zimbabwe."