Zimbabwe's government has begun a diplomatic offensive against the European Union renewing sanctions against President Robert Mugabe's regime.
The EU imposed travel and financial sanctions on Mr Mugabe and dozens of top officials it accused of undermining democracy in the southern African country when Mr Mugabe was re-elected in a 2002 poll the main opposition rejected as fraudulent.
Many Western powers said the vote was rigged and backed demands by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) for a rerun.
In the past three weeks, the government has deployed some of its most experienced officials to lobby EU states to oppose a drive by Britain, Zimbabwe's former colonial master, to renew the sanctions for another year.
The sanctions are due for implemented next month.
Political analysts say Mr Mugabe could make progress with France and Germany, but that the EU as a whole was likely to extend the bans because it did not want to be seen letting up while the Harare opposition clamours for sanctions.
The Zimbabwe government says sanctions are part of a concerted attack on Mr Mugabe by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who they say is angry at the president's seizures of white-owned farms for redistribution to landless blacks.