Mugabe is currently barred from travelling to the 27 nations in the European Union but Paulo Barbosa, Portugal's ambassador to South Africa, did not rule out the possibility of the 83-year-old attending December's summit.

"We will, in time, deal with the modalities (of inviting Mugabe) together with the Africans," Barbosa said after a briefing on Portugal's plans for Africa during the course of its six-month presidency of the EU.

"We will definitely find a way, and will address the issue of invitation when the time comes.

"If there is a political will between the EU nations and Africa, we will get around the problems of Mugabe's invitation to the summit and make the summit possible," he added.

The West slapped Mugabe, in power since 1980, with a travel ban and a programme of targeted sanctions after allegations that he rigged his re-election in 2002.

South Africa's Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad said last week that Africa would not allow Europe to exclude Mugabe from the summit.

"Africa won't move on the position that you cannot determine who constitutes the African delegation ...Today it's Zimbabwe. Tomorrow it could be us or another country."

Barbosa said that the EU leadership was presently concentrating on preparations for the "the real issues" on the agenda of the summit, such as immigration and climate change "in a way that will suit the two continents."

AFP