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Zim: Power-sharing deal close
05/08/2008 12:00 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Zimbabwe's ruling party and the opposition are close to a power-sharing deal that would turn Robert Mugabe into a ceremonial president, a South African newspaper reported on Tuesday.
The report came as Zimbabwean state media reported Zanu-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change had agreed to expand their negotiating teams in a move the ruling party called a "good omen".
The report in The Star newspaper cited unnamed sources close to the negotiations as saying the agreement would make MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai executive prime minister.
Zimbabwean government and MDC officials were not immediately available for comment on the report.
"They are down to detail now," the newspaper quoted one source as saying.
"Although how long that will take is still unclear. But a deal is not far off. Not at all."
Mugabe's Zanu-PF began power-sharing talks with the MDC two weeks ago in South Africa after Mugabe was re-elected in a widely condemned poll boycotted by the opposition.
The two sides are under heavy international pressure, including from within Africa, to resolve a crisis that has ruined the once prosperous economy and flooded neighbouring states with millions of refugees.
Zimbabwe's official Herald reported on Tuesday that Zanu-PF and the MDC had agreed to expand their mediation teams to make up for lost time after the parties adjourned for five days last week before resuming the talks in South Africa.
They had originally set themselves a deadline of Monday to reach a deal.
Commenting on the extension of the talks, which began again on Sunday, Christopher Mutsvangwa, a member of Zanu-PF's information and publicity committee told the Herald:
"That shows progress and the three parties have a lot of work to do. The extension is aimed at overcoming all the issues on the agenda. The omen is very good."
South African President Thabo Mbeki has been mediating between the rival Zimbabwean parties since last year.
The opposition says only Tsvangirai can lead a new government because he won a first-round presidential vote in March before pulling out of the June 27 run-off because of violence he says killed 122 of his supporters.
Zanu-PF has said it will not accept any deal that fails to recognise Mugabe's re-election.
The parties have also disagreed over how long a national unity government should remain in power.
The MDC wants new elections held as soon as possible while Mugabe, who has ruled since 1980, wants to carry on with his new five-year mandate.
- Reuters
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Zimbabwe Special Report
