Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Mugabe says no deal yet, talks to continue

Mugabe says no deal yet, talks to continue
Our reporter
Mon, 11 Aug 2008 02:52:00 +0000

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has indicated that talks with opposition leaders on creating an all-inclusive government had ended inconclusively, but that they would resume on Monday.

After a 14-hour marathon session on Sunday, a jovial President Mugabe told reporters that there was no deal yet. Asked by a journalist if a deal had been signed he said: “Not yet. We are not through but we will continue tomorrow.”

President Thabo Mbeki was mandated by the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) and the African Union to mediate in the talks. He is currently at the Rainbow Towers Hotel where the talks are taking place.

Reuters news agency reported that Tsvangirai declined to comment when he emerged, saying he expected Mbeki to release a statement on the negotiations.

The Zanu PF party on Saturday said a ‘milestone’ had been reached when negotiators returned from South Africa where they were negotiating in secrecy, and also when the MDC accepted President Mugabe’s legitimacy as president.

Common agreements are said to have been reached in relation to the land issue, sanctions, sovereignty, non-interference, freedom of assembly and association, the media and sanctions.

The talks are said to be focussing on the structure and scope of the new all-inclusive government.

Critics say the ongoing discussions are the clearest sign yet that an agreement was within reach. Many people are optimistic that a final acceptable deal could increase the chances of recovery from the economic and political crisis currently gripping the country.

Zanu PF and the MDC have been patching up their differences in the last few days. On Thursday they issued a joint statement condemning widespread violence in the country. The MDC subsequently issued another statement promising not to reverse President Mugabe's land policy.

The MDC formation led by Arthur Mutambara wrote an a newspaper over the weekend that a compromise was close. Despite limitations, it offered the "best temporary measure to extricate the country from its worst situation".

Labels: MoU, ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 7:37 AM