By David Lewis
DAKAR (Reuters) - Zimbabwe opposition leader MorganTsvangirai said on Thursday he was "fairly satisfied" withtalks with President Robert Mugabe's party to end a politicalcrisis, and said a Monday, August 4 deadline was "notinflexible".
Tsvangirai said talks would resume as planned on Sundaywith Mugabe's ZANU-PF party. Power-sharing negotiations beganlast week under international pressure after Mugabe's unopposedre-election in a poll dismissed around the world as a sham.
"I am fairly satisfied, but there are, like in anynegotiations, sticking points that need to be unravelled,"Tsvangirai told reporters in Dakar after meeting SenegalesePresident Abdoulaye Wade.
The talks adjourned on Tuesday, leaving little time tocomplete them by the August 4 deadline set out in the frameworkfor negotiations signed on July 21.
"Two weeks may appear too short, but it is not inflexibleand I am sure that the facilitation will adjust as progressmoves forward," Tsvangirai said.
South African President Thabo Mbeki is mediating betweenthe opposing camps, whose political struggle has exacerbated aneconomic crisis that has brought hyperinflation and foodshortages and forced millions into Zimbabwe's neighbours.
Tsvangirai won a first round of voting in March butofficial results said he fell short of an outright majority. Heabandoned a run-off vote against Mugabe in June because ofattacks on his supporters. He says more than 120 have beenkilled.
Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since 1980 and wants tocarry on with his new five-year mandate, said on Wednesday thatthe talks were going well and he wanted them to succeed.
But the MDC has said only Tsvangirai can lead a newgovernment as he won the first round of voting.
Analysts say both sides are deeply entrenched and findingmiddle ground will be difficult. Tsvangirai declined onThursday to give any details of the progress made in the talksso far.
But he told Britain's Channel 4 news on Wednesday that hehoped the process would allow Mugabe an "honourable exit".
European Aid Commissioner Louis Michel said he hoped thetalks would succeed, but said he was worried at continuingviolence and intimidation as well as restrictions onhumanitarian work.
"This situation is unacceptable and is putting thousands ofinnocent civilian lives, including women and children, atrisk," he said. "I therefore call upon the Zimbabweanauthorities to denounce and abandon violence and to provideunfettered humanitarian access."
(For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say onthe top issues, visit: http://africa.reuters.com)
(Editing by Alistair Thomson)
