Robert Mugabe says Zimbabwe elections will be held before 31 July

The Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, has said he will abide by a court ruling that crucial elections must be held before the end of July, despite objections from his rivals.

Mugabe told the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corp travelling with him on a trip to Japan that he would convene polls "not later than 31 July", state radio reported.

Mugabe, interviewed by the broadcaster on Sunday, claimed some members in a coalition with Morgan Tsvangirai, the prime minister and former opposition leader, wanted to delay the elections "to enjoy being in power" for longer, the radio said.

The constitutional court, the nation's highest court, on Friday chided Mugabe for not calling elections linked to the dissolution of the parliament at the end of its current five-year term on 29 June.

Tsvangirai said electoral and democratic reforms demanded under the coalition agreement and a new constitution could not be completed by 31 July.

Mugabe travelled to Japan to attend an African development summit in Yokahama. He described the coalition formed by regional leaders after the last violent and disputed elections in 2008 as having "outlived its usefulness", the radio said.