Zimbabwe's governing party and opposition begin talks

JOHANNESBURG: Senior negotiators from Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change and the governing ZANU-PF party began talks Thursday and a report indicated they were close to reaching a deal on forming a unity government.

The talks were under way Thursday, said Mukoni Ratshitanga, a spokesman for President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa. Senior officials of Movement for Democratic Change and two Zimbabwean cabinet ministers were leading the rival negotiating teams meeting at an undisclosed location near Pretoria, the South African capital.

Preliminary talks began Tuesday after Mbeki secured a framework deal Monday between President Robert Mugabe and the leader of Movement for Democratic Change, Morgan Tsvangirai, for talks to end the deadlock over Mugabe's re-election June 27. The election was boycotted by the opposition because of violence.

Ratshitanga said that even if negotiators missed a two-week deadline set under the framework agreement, that would 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.

The South African financial daily Business Day reported Thursday that the two sides were close to reaching a deal but still needed to resolve the final details.

Business Day, citing sources in both parties and people familiar with the talks, said a final settlement could 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," Business Day quoted a source as saying. "The deal is basically done, but what remains are a few issues of detail, implementation and logistics."

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

"A breakthrough is a reasonable possibility, even in two weeks," Masunungure said.

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

As part of the framework deal, the rival parties agreed to a media blackout, but Zimbabwe's state-owned Herald newspaper reported Thursday that the Movement for Democratic Change and ZANU-PF negotiators flew to South Africa on the same flight on Wednesday.

Masunungure, a political science lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe, said a major issue for the negotiators would be the form of a unity government with a number of options mooted, including splitting the executive to create a titular presidency for Mugabe and executive premiership for Tsvangirai.

"The titular presidency for Mugabe does appear the more likely route," Masunungure said. "Given his age, Mugabe might be agreeable to easing out of power, rather than being kicked out. He will not lose anything except executive power."

The Movement for Democratic Change says 120 of its supporters have been killed since a first round of elections on March 29, in which Tsvangirai beat Mugabe but without the majority to avoid a run-off. Mugabe blames the opposition for the bloodshed.

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