The United States formally introduced to the UN Security Council yesterday a draft resolution proposing sanctions against Zimbabwe.

Speaking to reporters after a closed council meeting, US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad blamed Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and his top aids for ignoring international calls for a postponement of their "flawed" presidential elections.

"There is a crisis of ... political legitimacy that continues," Khalilzad said. "This crisis not only impacts the people of Zimbabwe ... but also the region and impacts the credibility of the Security Council."

The council adopted a presidential statement on June 23 that expressed "regrets" over the lack of conditions for a free and fair election to take place in Zimbabwe on June 27.

Khalilzad said the draft proposes "targeted sanctions" against those who are responsible for the political crisis with an aim to push for their cooperation in efforts to resolve the crisis.

"We expect a vote on the resolution sometime next week," he noted.

The US draft asks the 15-member body to impose an arms embargo, a travel ban and an assets freeze against Mugabe and 11 of his top aids.

The text also "condemns the decision of the government of Zimbabwe to go forward with the June 27 elections" and urges the government to "begin without delay a substantive political dialogue between the parties."

It also demands that the government accept and cooperate with the mediation efforts taken by the African Union, the Southern African Development Community and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Khalilzad said that council experts will work on the text yesterday afternoon and that the council will hear a briefing on the latest developments in Zimbabwe next Tuesday.