A special envoy from Libya, Dr Saed Arabi Hifyanah, said this after paying a courtesy call on President Robert Mugabe at his Munhumutapa Office on Monday.

"Sanctions ' economic sanctions, political and other forms of pressure ' cannot realise their target . . . Dialogue is important rather than domination and intimidation," he said.

His remarks come in the wake of similar observations by Southern African Development Community which recently called on the West to lift the embargo and proposed an economic rescue package for the country which has been facing economic challenges for the past seven years.

Western countries, led by former colonial master Britain, have imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe for alleged human rights abuses and lack of rule of law.

However, this is seen as a way of punishing the government for embarking on the land redistribution exercise which saw it take land from white former farmers to redistribute to landless backs.

Before the exercise, more than 70 percent of prime land was in the hands of about 4 000 white farmers while blacks were squashed on unproductive land.

Hifyanah urged superpowers to change their policies and language towards other countries, citing the United States' interference in Iraq that has resulted in turmoil and instability in the oil-rich country since 2003.

Hifyanah said he also discussed with President Mugabe the forthcoming African Union summit to be held in Accra, Ghana, in July.

Other issues discussed were to do with the need for constant exchange of views at regional and international level between the two countries.

Relations between the two countries date back to the liberation struggle when Libya rallied behind Zimbabwe as it fought off colonial domination. ' New Ziana.