Zim talks unlikely to resume soon
2008-09-03 08:05
Special Report
A new team of SA mediators have held their first talks with Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe in a fresh bid to ease tensions within the strained unity government, a report says.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe says he doesn't expect the US sanctions on his country to be lifted soon.
Harare - Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said power-sharing talks are deadlocked and are unlikely to resume soon, South Africa's Talk Radio 702 reported on Wednesday.
It quoted Tsvangirai as saying in an interview he "was not aware of plans" for post-election negotiations to resume soon.
The talks have been deadlocked over executive powers.
Tsvangirai explained why he refused to sign a power-sharing deal with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe in talks over recent weeks.
"There was an attempt to fragment the cabinet. With some ministries reporting to the president and some ministries reporting to the prime minister," he told Talk Radio 702.
"In this case the economic and social ministries will go to the prime minister. The security ministries will go to the president."
Tsvangirai beat Mugabe in a March 29 election, but fell short of enough votes to avoid a run-off vote, which was won by Mugabe unopposed after Tsvangirai pulled out citing violence and intimidation against his supporters.
- Reuters