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Zim talks 'to resume soon'
08/07/2008 12:30 - (SA)
Harare - Talks between President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change aimed at resolving Zimbabwe's political crisis are set to resume soon, says a cabinet minister.
"The talks are set to resume soon, but I cannot say when or where they will be held," Patrick Chinamasa, Zimbabwe's justice minister said.
Chinamasa, who was Zanu-PF chief negotiator, said representatives of MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai would be represented at the talks despite his decision to boycott a session hosted by South African President Thabo Mbeki on Saturday.
"Do not be fooled that the (Tsvangirai) faction will not be represented. Everybody will be represented at these talks," he added.
While there was no immediate confirmation from the MDC that a resumption of the talks was on the cards, the party's secretary-general Tendai Biti said negotiations were inevitable.
Zim dialogue 'inevitable'
Biti said: "Dialogue is inevitable but there is nothing scheduled for the moment."
The talks between the two sides had been frozen since Mugabe decided to push ahead with a run-off presidential election on June 27 even after Tsvangirai pulled out of the contest following attacks on his supporters.
Mbeki had hoped Tsvangirai would join him and Mugabe, as well as a leader of a rebel MDC faction, in round-table talks over the weekend.
But he refused to attend the get-together, with his party unhappy about the framework of the talks and its venue at the official presidential residence.
The MDC had refused to recognise Mugabe's win in the one-man poll on June 27 and was insisting it should head up any new government given that Tsvangirai pushed Mugabe into second place in the first round of voting in March.
While the African Union had called for the establishment of a national unity government, the MDC said a transitional administration should be set up ahead of fresh polls, which could be guaranteed to be free and fair.
- AFP
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Zimbabwe Special Report
