MAPUTO (Reuters) - Mozambique has come out in support of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to participate in a Europe-Africa summit later this year in Portugal, despite sanctions barring his travel abroad.

Foreign Affairs Minister Alcida Abreu told reporters in the capital Maputo that the political crisis in Zimbabwe should not stop a planned summit between the European Union and Africa from going ahead later this year in Portugal.

"Africa has its own right to choose its representative at the summit ... Zimbabwe is an AU member and who decides its participation is Africa," Abreu told reporters late on Friday.

This would be the second EU-Africa summit after the first one held in Cairo, which suffered delays due to opposition from some European nations over Mugabe's presence.

Mugabe is banned from travelling to Europe under sanctions imposed by the EU in 2002 but the African Union has insisted that all its member states should be allowed to take part in the summit.

Abreu ruled out the possibility of Zimbabwe being represented by a ministerial mission at the summit, which will take place during Portugal's six-month term at the helm of the

EU.

"The issue has been dealt with at the Southern African Development Community, SADC, level," she said.

The EU imposed a travel ban on Mugabe and some of his officials after the Zimbabwean leader won elections in 2002 that international observers said were rigged.