The chairperson of the African Union's executive, Jean Ping, was in Harare on Monday for talks with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on the country's electoral crisis, diplomats told AFP.

"The chairperson and his delegation arrived late Sunday in Harare. The specifics of their schedule are not yet known but it appears they should be seeing President Mugabe today," an African diplomat in Addis Ababa said on condition of anonymity. The AU headquarters is in Addis Ababa.

South African President Thabo Mbeki spoke with Ping, the newly-elected chairman of the AU commission, over the weekend and offered him the use of a specially chartered plane, another diplomat said.

Ping's visit to Harare comes amid pressing calls from the United States for increased AU involvement in the Zimbabwean electoral crisis.

African countries have been divided over Zimbabwe, which has been mired in a bitter dispute since 29 March general polls.

Results released after five tense weeks indicate a run-off is needed between Mugabe and Movement for Democratic Change candidate Morgan Tsvangirai, but the opposition leader maintains he won outright in the first round.

AFP