July 11 (Bloomberg) -- Russia and China vetoed U.S.-backed sanctions proposed at the United Nations against Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and 13 of his officials for attacks on political opponents before a discredited election last month.

South Africa, Libya and Vietnam also voted against the sanctions, which included an arms embargo and an asset freeze and travel ban on the officials from the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front party. Indonesia abstained, and the nine other countries on the 15-nation Security Council -- including France, the U.S. and the U.K. -- voted in favor.

``China and Russia have stood with Mugabe against the people of Zimbabwe,'' U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad told the council.

Those voting against the measure argued the sanctions might jeopardize negotiations between Zanu-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. The talks are aimed at finding a way to consider the demands of Mugabe's foes. The two sides met for a second day of South Africa-mediated discussions today in Pretoria.

``We have seen an ever more obvious attempt to take the council beyond its prerogatives and beyond maintaining international peace and security,'' Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the Security Council after today's vote.

China's `Difficulties'

China had ``insurmountable difficulties with the resolution'' on the same grounds, Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya told the council.

Zimbabwe's envoy to the UN, Boniface Chidyausiku, said he was pleased by the outcome.

``Today we have seen reason,'' he said. ``The UN has stuck to the charter.''

The UN, the U.S. and European countries have said Mugabe's victory in the disputed June 27 runoff election was illegitimate. President George W. Bush described it as a sham vote to extend Mugabe's authoritarian rule. The MDC's leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, won more votes than Mugabe in the presidential election without gaining the 50 percent needed to avoid a runoff.

The U.S. forced Russia and China to put their opposition to the Zimbabwe sanctions on the record, an approach that contrasts with UN diplomacy involving Iran. For the appearance of international unity in the past two years, the U.S. revised draft resolutions seeking to curb Iran's nuclear work to accommodate Russian and Chinese objections and win their backing.

Russia and China, as permanent members of the Security Council, have the power to block resolutions. The U.S., France and the U.K. hold the other permanent seats on the panel.

South Africa Mediation

The U.K., one of the supporters of the resolution, said the UN had missed an opportunity to back up South Africa's mediation efforts with sanctions.

The vetoes were ``deeply damaging to the long-term interest of Zimbabwe's people,'' U.K. Ambassador John Sawers said.

Tsvangirai ended his challenge to Mugabe's rule in the runoff in protest of the violence, which his party says has killed at least 110 of its members and supporters since the end of March.

Mugabe has presided over a decade-long recession and an inflation rate of at least 355,000 percent. Some 3 million of Zimbabwe's citizens have fled to neighboring South Africa.

``The government went ahead with an election with only one candidate and a predictable result and a crisis of legitimacy,'' UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said on July 8.

The country needs aid to combat a food crisis that could leave 5.1 million people ``at grave risk,'' she said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Robin Stringer at the United Nations at rstringer@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: July 11, 2008 18:59 EDT