TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH NEWS AGENCY, AFP.     

The president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, has begun a three-day visit to Zimbabwe, two years after the authorities in Harare foiled an alleged attempt to overthrow him. A spokesman for the Zimbabwean leader, Robert Mugabe, (George Charamba) said he hoped to sign an agreement to import oil from Equatorial Guinea, which is Africa's third-largest producer. Zimbabwe's chronic economic problems include a severe shortage of fuel. In 2004 about seventy men -- accused of being South African mercenaries -- were arrested on an aircraft at Harare airport and later jailed for allegedly trying to mount a coup against the Equatorial Guinean leader.

{NET HEADLINE: Equatorial Guinea leader in Zimbabwe }

{SOURCES:RTR, AP }

{29/03/2006 23:29:36.........Roger Walker....x 72354}