Ministers, Mugabe hold talks

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Harare - A high-ranking delegation of southern African ministers met Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe on Wednesday to discuss the country's political impasse ahead of a pending presidential run-off, state media reported.

Two ministers and a top official from the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) met Mugabe in Harare where they urged him to take part in the presidential re-run, but insisted that the law must be observed.

The delegation was headed by Angolan Foreign Minister Jose Joao Bernardo Miranda, who is in charge of the SADC ministerial troika on politics and security.

"The message of the chairperson of the organ is to urge the political parties in Zimbabwe to participate in the run-off in full observation of the law," said Tomas Salamao, executive secretary of SADC.

Salamao told state television that the delegation also met with the Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC), which is yet to announce the date for the run-off.

Intended to meet Tsvangirai

"The mission met the ZEC chairperson and also one of the candidates, President Robert Mugabe," Salamao said.

"We also intended to meet the other candidate Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, but it came to our attention that he is not around, but in view of that the troika is still keen to get hold of him and we will still try," he added.

Others in the delegation included Swaziland Foreign Minister Mathendele Dlamini and a Tanzanian ambassador who was in Zimbabwe to assess the political situation ahead of the run-off.

A Zimbabwe foreign ministry source said the three left Harare on Wednesday for Lusaka to brief Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa who is SADC chairperson.

Later the delegation will proceed to Pretoria to meet South African President Thabo Mbeki, SADC's chief mediator on the Zimbabwe crisis.

- AFP