Zimbabwe parties meet to try to end stalemate

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki began mediation between Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday to try to rescue a power-sharing pact.

The deal, brokered by Mr Mbeki last month, is in danger of collapse over disagreements about Cabinet posts and Mr Tsvangirai, leader of the MDC, threatened to pull out of it at the weekend after Mr Mugabe allocated key ministries to his ZANU-PF party.

Negotiators for ZANU-PF and the MDC met briefly at a Harare hotel before the leaders arrived to meet Mr Mbeki. Arthur Mutambara, who heads a splinter MDC faction, is also taking part in the talks.

Mr Mutambara expressed frustration over the stalled deal.

"The fact that we are here, bickering over Cabinet posts is a travesty of justice. Mr Mutambara, Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai should shape up or ship out," he told reporters as he arrived.

Justice minister and ZANU-PF’s chief negotiator in the power-sharing talks, Patrick Chinamasa, told the state-run Herald that he hoped Mr Mbeki could offer new ideas.

"As far as we are concerned, the only contention is the Ministry of Finance," he said.

Mr Mugabe this weekend angered the MDC by allocating the ministries for defence, home affairs – which oversees the police – and finance to his ZANU-PF party.