Zimbabwe rivals may reach final deal soon

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's opposition MDC and theruling ZANU-PF party are close to reaching a deal on a unitygovernment but the two sides still need to iron out the finaldetails, a South African newspaper reported on Thursday.

Talks between President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF and theMovement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai to enda political crisis are due to start in South Africa onThursday.

South African financial daily Business Day, citing sourcesin both parties and people familiar with the talks, said afinal settlement can be reached soon as the rival parties hadalready agreed on many issues on the agenda.

"They have agreed on most of the issues, except mainly theframework for a new government. The deal is basically done, butwhat remains are a few issues of detail, implementation andlogistics," Business Day quoted a source as saying.

Zimbabwean political analyst Eldred Masunungure said abreakthrough in talks was possible as the rival parties hadbeen talking under mediation led by South African PresidentThabo Mbeki since March last year.

"A breakthrough is a reasonable possibility, even in twoweeks. This is essentially the second phase of theSADC-mediated process, the first phase having started in March2007," Masunungure said.

Preliminary talks began on Tuesday after Mbeki secured aframework deal between Mugabe and Tsvangirai on Monday fortalks to end the deadlock since Mugabe's re-election on June 27in a poll boycotted by the opposition because of violence.

Mbeki was appointed by regional grouping the SouthernAfrican Development Community to mediate between the Zimbabweanparties. He had been increasingly criticised, especially by theMDC, which accused him of taking too soft a line with Mugabe.

SUBSTANTIVE TALKS

A senior MDC official said the talks will kick off inearnest on Thursday.

"I can confirm that the substantive talks are kicking offright now in South Africa, but part of the agreement that wesigned with ZANU-PF forbids the negotiating parties fromtalking to the media so I cannot say more," the official said.

As part of the framework deal, the rival parties agreed toa media blackout but Zimbabwe's state-owned Herald newspaperreported on Thursday that MDC and ZANU-PF's main negotiatorsflew to South Africa on the same flight on Wednesday.

Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Public ServicesMinister Nicholas Goche will represent ZANU-PF at negotiations,while MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti and Deputy TreasurerElton Mangoma would attend for Tsvangirai's party.

The Herald said ZANU-PF's decision-making politburo met onWednesday and gave party negotiators approval to continue withthe talks.

The Herald quoted ZANU-PF deputy information and publicitysecretary Ephraim Masawi as saying the politburo expressedsatisfaction with the framework deal signed by Mugabe,Tsvangirai and a smaller MDC faction.

"We gave Chinamasa and Goche the green light for them to goahead with the negotiations within the parameters signed by theprincipals," Masawi said, according to the Herald.

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.

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 said on Monday that the Zimbabwean parties face atight two-week deadline to conclude the talks, which areexpected to be tense and possibly acrimonious. The MDC hasaccused Mugabe of violating human rights and rigging elections.

(Additional reporting by Cris Chinaka and Nelson Banya inHarare)

(Editing by Ibon Villelabeitia)