HARARE // The South African president Thabo Mbeki held talks with Zimbabwe's political rivals today as they edged closer to a power-sharing deal following Robert Mugabe's widely-condemned re-election. The Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai, and Arthur Mutambara, the head of a smaller MDC faction, were all inside a central Harare hotel for the talks just before midday.
None of the leaders made any comment as they arrived separately. The MDC's chief negotiator Tendai Biti briefly spoke to reporters as he left the Rainbow Towers hotel, nodding when asked if any progress had been made. "I think we all need to pray," he said. Mr Mbeki, the mediator for the Zimbabwe talks, arrived in Harare late Saturday following more than two weeks of negotiations in South Africa in a bid to reach a power-sharing deal to resolve Zimbabwe's political crisis.
His trip comes amid signs the rivals were nearing a deal in the negotiations, with both Mbeki's government and Mr Mugabe reporting progress in recent days. Zimbabwean state media reported today that negotiators had reached agreement on key issues and Mr Mbeki's meetings today would focus on hammering out details of a new government. "Issues with the structure and scope of the new government are likely to take centre stage," The Sunday Mail newspaper said.
Quoting unnamed sources close to the talks, the government mouthpiece said negotiators for the ruling and opposition parties had already resolved issues related to land and other matters. Land distribution has long been a major issue in Zimbabwe following independence from Britain in 1980. Mugabe embarked on a chaotic land reform programme at the turn of the decade which saw some 4,000 white-owned farms expropriated by the state.
Mr Mugabe blames the country's woes on sanctions imposed by the EU and the US following presidential elections in 2002 which the MDC and Western observers charged were rigged to hand the Zimbabwe president victory. Power-sharing talks began after the political rivals signed a deal on July 21 laying the framework for negotiations following Mr Mugabe's re-election in a one-candidate poll in June, widely condemned as a farce.
Mr Tsvangirai boycotted the June 27 presidential vote despite finishing ahead of Mr Mugabe after the first round in March, citing rising violence against his supporters that had killed dozens and injured thousands. The opposition leader believes his first-round total gives him the right to the lion's share of power, but sources in his party said previously that Mr Mugabe's negotiators had only offered him one of several vice-presidential posts.
The ruling ZANU-PF party has insisted Mr Mugabe must be recognised as president as part of any deal, since he won the June 27 vote. Negotiations have reportedly included proposals for Mr Mugabe to take on a more ceremonial role as president, with Mr Tsvangirai being made executive prime minister. However, analysts question whether Mr Mugabe, as well as his allies among the country's highly influential security chiefs, will relinquish power and if the bitter arch-rivals could work together in a power-sharing government.
*AFP
