By Stella Mapenzauswa
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 kicked off preliminary talks on Tuesday aimed atending Zimbabwe's crisis, South African President Thabo Mbeki'sspokesman said. He declined to say what was discussed onTuesday.
"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 aimed at ending the deadlock since Mugabe'sre-election on June 27 in a poll boycotted by the oppositionbecause of violence.
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, most ofthem to South Africa.
Zimbabwe's state-run Herald newspaper said Justice MinisterPatrick Chinamasa and Public Services Minister Nicholas Gochewould represent ZANU-PF at negotiations, while the MDC would berepresented by secretary-general Tendai Biti and deputytreasurer Elton Mangoma. A splinter faction of the MDC wouldalso have two negotiators 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 andZANU-PF of violating human rights and rigging elections.
The European Union on Tuesday increased pressure on Mugabe,saying it had agreed additional sanctions on Zimbabwe to target37 more individuals and four companies linked to thegovernment.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Wednesday thatBritain will press ahead with its sanctions policy.
"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,"Brown said at a joint news conference with Kenyan PrimeMinister Raila Odinga at Downing Street.
Odinga, whose own country's presidential election last yearwas disputed and violent, said Mugabe should be given a decentexit and that people around the Zimbabwean leader wanted him toplay a role in a unity government for about two years.
"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.
Mugabe, 84, has dismissed the MDC as a puppet of the Westand vowed never to let it take power. The president, in powersince independence from Britain in 1980, has also insisted thatthe opposition accept his unopposed victory last month.
Zimbabwe's economy has been in freefall since 2000, withthe world's highest modern-day inflation at over two millionpercent, a virtually worthless currency, crippling food andfuel shortages and 80 percent unemployment.
(Additional reporting by Nelson Banya in Harare andKatherine Bladwin in London; Writing by Marius Bosch; Editingby Matthew Tostevin)
