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Mbeki meets Zimbabwe parties in attempt to revive power-sharing talks
The South African president, Thabo Mbeki, will meet Zimbabwe’s rival political parties today in a new attempt to secure a power-sharing deal.
The opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, said yesterday that he would rather quit the talks than sign an unsatisfactory deal, prompting fresh doubts over a compromise.
President Robert Mugabe has already threatened to form a government alone if Tsvangirai does not sign a deal and end the deadlock.
In response, Tsvangirai has challenged Mugabe to call a further election, insisting his party would win a clear majority.
In March this year, the two leaders fought a general election in which Tsvangirai fell just short of enough votes to avoid a second round of voting in June.
Mugabe went on to win the run-off unopposed after Tsvangirai pulled out, citing violence and intimidation against his supporters.
Since then, post-election talks to resolve the sharing of executive power between the two men have continued, delaying any chance of rescuing Zimbabwe’s crippled economy.
Mbeki, mandated by regional countries to mediate in the Zimbabwe talks, has come under repeated fire for not being tough enough with Mugabe.
Other southern African leaders have taken a harder line against the long-standing president, but Mugabe has refused to budge.
Yesterday, Tsvangirai held a rally marking the ninth anniversary of his party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
He made it clear that he has little faith in Mbeki as mediator and confirmed he did not intend to change his position in the power-sharing talks.
Zimbabwe’s June election run-off was condemned by governments around the world. It drew toughened sanctions from western countries whose support is vital for reviving Zimbabwe’s ruined economy.
A smaller, breakaway faction of the MDC, led by Arthur Mutambara, is the third party in negotiations aimed at forming a national unity government.
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