Mbeki: Mugabe open to talks

2008-07-02 11:28

Johannesburg - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has told African Union leaders he is open to talks with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on a unity government, according to President Thabo Mbeki.

Mbeki, southern Africa's mediator in Zimbabwe, was speaking after an AU heads of state summit in Egypt on Tuesday ended with a call for a government of national unity in Zimbabwe.

Despite Mugabe's spokesperson George Charamba on Tuesday ruling out a Kenya-style unity government and Mugabe storming out of the summit shortly before it closed, Mbeki said, "No, there was no objection".

"He was fully supportive of the cooperation and dialogue between Zimbabwe's political parties to find solutions to the challenges they face," Mbeki told SA's state SAfm radio.

Mugabe sworn in as president

But the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) had ruled out joining a government of national unity with Mugabe as leader.

"We stand for a transitional government led by Morgan Tsvangirai, which would allow us to create the environment for free and fair elections," Tsvangirai's spokesperson George Sibotshiwe said.

Mugabe was sworn in as president for another five years on Sunday after a run-off presidential election he alone contested.

Tsvangirai took the most votes in the first round of voting in March but boycotted the run-off over a spate of state-backed militia attacks on his supporters. Three African election observer missions said the polls lacked legitimacy.

EU 'won't accept Mugabe's govt'

The AU summit did not explicitly endorse Mugabe's victory grab but referred to him as president in the summit declaration.

The declaration was adopted unanimously, despite a handful of countries, including Botswana, Sierra Leone and Kenya - through its Prime Minister Raila Odinga - denouncing Mugabe.

Botswana's vice-president Mompati Merafhe called for the elderly leader to be excluded from AU and Southern African Development Community (SADC) meetings.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, the new chair of the European Union's rotating presidency, told French television that the EU "will not accept a government other than one led by Mr Tsvangirai".

South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, speaking at a function in Cape Town on Tuesday evening, also called for the MDC to have the "prominent part" in any unity government.

Mbeki, whose mediation on behalf of SADC the AU said should continue, however, ruled out making any "prescriptions" about the make-up of the government.

Sapa-dpa

- SAPA