Zimbabwe rivals to start full talks on Thursday
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's opposition MDC andPresident Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF will beginnegotiations on a power-sharing deal in earnest on Thursday,officials said on Wednesday.
The rivals opened preliminary talks on Tuesday, SouthAfrican President Thabo Mbeki's spokesman said, but he declinedto say what was discussed.
"I won't talk about what it is. I will say talks resumed,and talks are continuing," Mukoni Ratshitanga said. "They havestarted more or less. (They will be) in earnest tomorrow."
Mbeki, mediating in the crisis, secured a framework dealbetween Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai onMonday for talks to end the deadlock since Mugabe's re-electionon June 27 in a poll boycotted by the opposition because ofviolence.
Pressure for power-sharing has come from regional statesconcerned by the political and economic crisis that has forcedmillions of refugees to flee to Zimbabwe's neighbours.
Zimbabwe's state-run Herald newspaper said Justice MinisterPatrick Chinamasa and Public Services Minister Nicholas Gochewould represent ZANU-PF at negotiations, while MDC SecretaryGeneral Tendai Biti and Deputy Treasurer Elton Mangoma wouldattend for Tsvangirai's party.
A splinter faction of the MDC would also have twonegotiators at the talks.
The MDC says 120 of its supporters have been killed since afirst round of elections on March 29, in which Tsvangirai beatMugabe but without the absolute majority to avoid a run-off.Mugabe blames the opposition for the bloodshed.
DIFFERENCES
The main aim of the Pretoria talks will be the creation ofa government of national unity, but the two sides differ on whoshould lead it and how long it should stay in power.
Mbeki has said the Zimbabwean parties face a tight two-weekdeadline to conclude the talks, which are expected to be tenseand possibly acrimonious. The MDC has accused Mugabe ofviolating human rights and rigging elections.
The European Union on Tuesday agreed additional sanctionson Zimbabwe to target 37 more individuals and four companieslinked to the government.
Britain said on Wednesday it would press on with sanctions.
"We'll continue with the policy of sanctions to continuethe pressure that is necessary so there is a fair outcome ofany negotiations to the benefit of the people of Zimbabwe,"Prime Minister Gordon Brown said at a joint news conferencewith Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga at Downing Street.
Odinga, whose own country's election last year was disputedand violent, said Mugabe should be given a decent exit.
"A decent exit would mean that Mugabe is given a role toplay for an interim period of time -- I understand his friendsare suggesting about 24 months -- after which elections will beheld in Zimbabwe. But in that period of time he can stay on asa ceremonial president if you like with an executive primeminister until the elections are held," Odinga said.
The powerful Congress of South African Trade Unions vowedon Wednesday to protest against Mugabe if he attended a SADCsummit in South Africa next month.
"When Mugabe comes to South Africa, we must tell him thathe's not a president of his country. He has lost elections. Asworkers we are not going to service him," COSATU GeneralSecretary Zwelinzima Vavi said at a rally in Johannesburg.
Mugabe, 84, says his critics are puppets of the West.
Zimbabwe's economy has been in freefall since 2000, withthe world's highest inflation at over two million percent.
(Additional reporting by Nelson Banya in Harare, PhakamisaNdzamela in Johannesburg and Katherine Baldwin in London;Writing by Marius Bosch; Editing by Paul Simao and GilesElgood)