Maravi

(NEWZIMBABWE) Mbeki snubbed Tsvangirai - paper

Mbeki snubbed Tsvangirai - paper
By Lebo Nkatazo
Posted to the web: 27/08/2008 15:30:03

SOUTH African President Thabo Mbeki last week declined to meet Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, a South African newspaper reported on Tuesday. The Citizen said Tsvangirai had sought a meeting with Mbeki to discuss stalled power-sharing talks between Zimbabwe’s main parties, but was advised to “follow protocol”. The paper quoted an unnamed government source saying: "Tsvangirai’s claims that President Mbeki refused to meet him are absolute rubbish.

“You can’t just meet the President whenever you like. We must follow protocol and respect our President."

Tsvangirai is said to have returned to Zimbabwe last Saturday after completing a regional tour without meeting Mbeki.

MDC secretary general Tendai Biti told reporters on Wednesday that they were keen to revive the power-sharing talks to bring an end to a decade-long political crisis.

Biti spoke after MDC MPs heckled President Robert Mugabe during the official opening of Zimbabwe’s seventh parliament on Tuesday.

He said: “What happened in parliament shows the obligations on both sides that negotiations should continue until we reach a negotiated settlement. I hope the facilitator (Mbeki), as a matter of urgency, will re-convene the talks so that dialogue will resume.”

Negotiations broke off without a deal two weeks ago when Tsvangirai accused Mugabe of an unwillingness to let go of some of his executive authority.

But the MDC leader’s case suffered a major reversal when regional leaders, meeting in South Africa on August 16, suggested that the deal offered to Tsvangirai was reasonable and urged him to sign.

The leaders said the terms of the draft deal were “a good basis for a global agreement” on resolving the Zimbabwe crisis, while clearing the way for Mugabe to convene parliament to “give effect to the will of the people as expressed in the Parliamentary elections in March this year”.

But as the MDC sought to revive the dialogue, Mugabe warned Tuesday that he would go ahead and form a government with or without them.

"We shall soon be setting up a government. The MDC does not want to come in apparently," he said. “This time they have been promised by the British that sanctions would be more devastating, that in six months' time the government will collapse. I do not know when that day will come. I wish [MDC leader Morgan] Tsvangirai well on that day.”

The comments drew an angry response from the both factions of the opposition.

"It's very clear that if he announces the new Cabinet it's a declaration of war against the people. You can't just have a Cabinet without a mandate," MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said.
Chamisa accused Mugabe of trying to "hijack the leadership" of Zimbabwe and said the veteran leader was trying to ride roughshod over his political opponents.

"He should wait for the conclusion of the dialogue together with the MDC, and Tsvangirai, on the way forward. Otherwise what he is doing is a recipe for disaster."

Chamisa appealed to Mbeki and SADC which appointed Mbeki mediator, to urgently intervene as Zimbabwe was "sliding and gliding into anarchy".

"The talks have not been formally terminated so the natural conclusion is that the talks are on," Chamisa said.

"But there hasn't been any formal communication from SADC, from President Mbeki, to say this is the way forward."

Edwin Mushoriwa, spokesperson for the smaller MDC faction with whom Mugabe's Zanu PF party could conceivably form a majority in Parliament, said it would not join a Mugabe government.

"We are actually looking forward to the conclusion of the dialogue when Mugabe and Tsvangirai form a transitional government," Mushoriwa said.

Labels: MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, NEGOTIATIONS, THABO MBEKI

posted by MrK @ 5:06 PM