Zimbabwe parties agree talks framework

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's opposition and the rulingparty of President Robert Mugabe will sign a deal on Mondaylaying down a framework for formal talks to end the country'sdeep crisis, both sides said.

An official of the opposition Movement for DemocraticChange (MDC) said its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, would sign thedeal with Mugabe.

"I can confirm that the president (Tsvangirai) is going tosign that agreement in person," an MDC official told Reuters.

A Zimbabwe government official said the deal would besigned at a Harare hotel at 3 p.m. (2:00 p.m. British time). Hedid not say if Mugabe would sign for ZANU-PF.

South Africa said President Thabo Mbeki, the officialregional mediator in Zimbabwe, would travel to Harare for thesigning of a memorandum of understanding between Mugabe'sZANU-PF and two factions of the MDC.

Both sides have been under heavy world and African pressureto enter negotiations after Mugabe's re-election on June 27 ina widely condemned presidential poll boycotted by theopposition.

Analysts said the talks were only a first step in pavingthe way for formal negotiations that are expected to beextremely tough, with both Mugabe and Tsvangirai demanding tobe recognised as Zimbabwe's rightful president.

Zimbabwe's economic collapse under Mugabe's rule hasflooded neighbouring countries with millions of refugees andsaddled the once prosperous country with inflation of at least2 million percent as well as crippling food and fuel shortages.

Tsvangirai, leader of the main opposition faction, haspreviously refused to sign even a framework deal unlessgovernment militias stopped violence he says has killed 120 ofhis supporters and Mugabe recognised his victory in the firstround of the presidential poll on March 29.

He pulled out of the run-off because of the violence.

Mugabe blames the opposition for the bloodshed between thetwo rounds of the election.

MEDIATION BROADENED

The atmosphere changed late last week when Mbeki agreed toexpand the mediation process to include the African Union,United Nations and other officials from the Southern AfricanDevelopment Community (SADC) as a "reference group."

Mbeki is expected to liaise with the group although it willnot be directly involved in negotiations.

Expansion of the mediation beyond Mbeki has been a keydemand of Tsvangirai, who has strongly criticised the SouthAfrican president, accusing him of favouring Mugabe.

Western powers, who have unsuccessfully tried to pushtargeted sanctions against Mugabe's circle and an arms embargothrough the United Nations, also called for expanded mediation.

Mbeki, who favours a softly softly approach to Mugabe, hasfailed to end the crisis as the single mediator since last yearand has come under strong criticism both at home and abroad.

"The Memorandum represents a positive step forward in theongoing dialogue among the parties as facilitated by PresidentMbeki acting on behalf of SADC," the South African statementsaid.

Mugabe, Zimbabwe's leader for 28 years, insists that theopposition accept that he is the duly elected president,despite Tsvangirai's demand that the first round result shouldstand.

"Tsvangirai has so far done well to press for and win arole for both the AU and the UN in the mediation process, buthe has to remain alert all the way because he is dealing with afoxy man -- Mugabe," said Eldred Masunungure, a politicalscience professor at the University of Zimbabwe.

"The actual negotiations are going to be a lot tougher andthe MDC's aim of easing Mugabe out of power or sharingexecutive power (with ZANU-PF) in a transitional governmentahead of another election is going to be more difficult toget," he said.

John Makumbe, a Mugabe critic and veteran politicalcommentator, said while negotiations were important to end thedeepening crisis, the MDC was in danger of "legitimising anillegitimate regime."

"Mugabe wants these negotiations to ease pressure on hisregime, and they are going to wave these talks to tell theinternational community to get off their backs," he said.

"The MDC is only going to achieve its aims by playing atough game against Mugabe...but there is also a danger thatunless they tread carefully, Mugabe will outwit them and theycould end up in disarray," he said.

(Additional reporting by Paul Simao and Marius Bosch inJohannesburg; Writing by Barry Moody; Editing by MatthewTostevin)