World | Other World Stories
Zimbabwe crisis talks to start in South Africa
Zimbabwe's ruling party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) prepared to begin negotiations on Tuesday on a power-sharing deal that could end the country's political crisis, the opposition and diplomatic sources said.
- Reuters
- Published: 22:54 July 22, 2008
Harare: Zimbabwe's ruling party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) prepared to begin negotiations on Tuesday on a power-sharing deal that could end the country's political crisis, the opposition and diplomatic sources said.
President Robert Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai signed a deal on Monday that committed the ruling Zanu-PF and two factions of the MDC to two weeks of negotiations with South African mediators.
"There was convergence among all the parties that the dialogue had to start as soon as the MOU [Memorandum of Understanding] was done, hence the resumption of that process today," an MDC official said on condition of anonymity.
A diplomatic source close to the talks said they would start on Tuesday in South Africa's capital, Pretoria. The source said neither Mugabe nor Tsvangirai would attend the opening round.
The government and the opposition had been deadlocked over talks since Mugabe was re-elected unopposed on June 27 in a run-off poll boycotted by Tsvangirai because of violence against his supporters. Mugabe blames the opposition for the bloodshed.
The main goal of the Pretoria talks will be the creation of a government of national unity, though the two sides differ on who should lead it and how long it should stay in power.
Related Links
But analysts said the two-week deadline may be difficult to keep to.
"Unfortunately, I am very sceptical. I think it is ambitious to expect a solution in two weeks. [The] event is a good first step, but the two parties are so polarised it will take nothing short of a miracle to achieve that," said John Makumbe, political science lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe.
More from Other World Stories
More from World
News Editor's choice
-
6,000 cups and counting: Addicted to that tea
This cafeteria in Al Mamzar attracts thousands of customers daily, including the rich and not so rich
-
Swimming pool horror: Twins hospitalised
Twins rushed to hospital after collapsing from chlorine inhalation at swimming pool in their villa
-
Play your cards right with credit card interest
UAE Central Bank plans to cap interest rates, but are you paying thirty-five per cent now?
