Mugabe OK with power-sharing
2008-07-01 22:34
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A watchdog body has urged the Zimbabwean government to withdraw troops from a diamond field where soldiers allegedly slaughtered illegal diggers.
Sharm El-Sheikh - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe did not object to an African Union resolution on Tuesday that called for a power-sharing deal with the opposition, Egypt's foreign ministry said.
"We didn't hear Zimbabwe say 'no' to the resolution. They did not object to the resolution," ministry spokesperson Hossam Zaki told reporters in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh where African leaders wound up a two-day summit.
"Mugabe didn't leave before the resolution was adopted. He said there is an ongoing dialogue with MDC as we were speaking," he said.
The AU summit adopted a resolution calling for dialogue between Mugabe and the Democratic Movement for Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai, and the creation of a national unity government.
The AU agreed "to encourage" Mugabe and Tsvangirai "to initiate dialogue with a view to promoting peace, stability", the official said, requesting anonymity.
It also decided "to support the call for the creation of a government of national unity, to support SADC (Southern African Development Community) facilitation".
The SADC regional body has been leading mediation efforts.
Mugabe won a widely discredited run-off election on Friday that was marred by violence which led Tsvangirai, who had won the first round, to pull out ahead of the contest.
- SAPA