Zimbabweans start crisis talks

Senior negotiators from Zimbabwe's main opposition MDC and the ruling Zanu-PF party began talks yesterday and a report indicated they were close to reaching a deal on forming a unity government.

The talks were under way yesterday, President Thabo Mbeki's spokesman Mukoni Ratshitanga said. Senior Movement for Democratic Change officials and two Zimbabwean Cabinet ministers were leading the rival negotiating teams meeting at an undisclosed venue around the South African capital Pretoria.

Preliminary talks began on Tuesday after Mr Mbeki secured a framework deal between President Robert Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Monday for talks to end the deadlock over Mr Mugabe's re-election on June 27 in a poll boycotted by the opposition because of violence.

Mr Ratshitanga said that, even if negotiators missed a two-week deadline set under the framework agreement, it did not mean the end of talks.

"It does not mean if the talks are not done in two weeks, that the talks will collapse," he said.

The main aim of the Pretoria talks will be the creation of a government of national unity, but the two sides differ on who should lead it and how long it should stay in power.

South African financial daily Business Day reported yesterday that the two sides are close to reaching a deal but still need to iron out the final details.

Business Day, citing sources in both parties and people familiar with the talks, said a final settlement can be reached soon as the parties had already agreed on many issues.

"They have agreed on most of the issues, except mainly the framework for a new government. The deal is basically done, but what remains are a few issues of detail, implementation and logistics," Business Day quoted a source as saying.

Zimbabwean political analyst Eldred Masunungure said a breakthrough in talks was possible as the rival parties had been talking under mediation led by South African President Thabo Mbeki since March last year.

"A breakthrough is a reasonable possibility, even in two weeks. This is essentially the second phase of the SADC-mediated process, the first phase having started in March 2007," Mr Masunungure said.

Mr Mbeki was appointed by regional grouping the Southern African Development Community to mediate between the Zimbabwean parties. He had been increasingly criticised, especially by the MDC, which accused him of taking too soft a line with Mr Mugabe.

As part of the framework deal, the rival parties agreed to a media blackout but Zimbabwe's state-owned Herald newspaper reported yesterday that MDC and Zanu-PF's main negotiators flew to South Africa on the same flight on Wednesday.