By Nelson Banya
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwean authorities brieflyconfiscated opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's passport onThursday, threatening to prevent him attending a regionalsummit in neighbouring South Africa, an MDC official said.
Tsvangirai said he had been invited to attend the weekendSouthern African Development Community (SADC) summit, to behosted by South African President Thabo Mbeki, who is mediatingpower-sharing talks between Zimbabwe's opposition and PresidentRobert Mugabe.
But his departure was delayed when agents of Mugabe'sCentral Intelligence Organisation confiscated the emergencytravel documents he was using, along with the passports ofother MDC officials in his party.
Tsvangirai left for South Africa later on Thursday, MDCspokesman Tapiwa Mashakada said.
"He's gone, he got his document," said Mashakada.
The talks stalled this week after Mugabe and Tsvangiraifailed to agree on top leadership posts, a sensitive issue forthe long-time political rivals.
Movement for Democratic Change official Andrew Chadwicksaid the travel documents had been returned without anyexplanation.
"They have their passports now. They will be leaving (forSouth Africa) on the 6 p.m. (5 p.m. British time) flight."
Tsvangirai has been using emergency travel documents afterthe authorities refused in June to renew his passport after itexpired.
The incident is likely to raise tensions between Mugabe andTsvangirai and embarrass Mbeki, who has dismissed criticismthat he is too soft on Zimbabwe's defiant president, sayingpressure will only aggravate the country's problems.
MESSAGE TO SADC
MDC Secretary-General Tendai Biti said the incident shouldsend a strong message to SADC leaders.
"We have been trying to tell President Mbeki about thingslike this, and people wouldn't believe us. But now here it is... for all to see."
The political stalemate has worsened an already direeconomic crisis. Zimbabwe has the world's highest inflationrate, 80 percent unemployment and widespread shortages of basicgoods.
Tsvangirai told reporters earlier at the airport he wassure power-sharing talks with Mugabe's government would resume.
Asked by reporters if he was still optimistic on a deal,Tsvangirai said: "Oh, yes, of course, we got our independenceafter how many talks? Hundreds and tens of meetings had beenheld."
The talks on power-sharing began last month after Mugabe'sunopposed re-election in a vote in June that was condemnedaround the world and boycotted by Tsvangirai because of attackson his supporters. But three days of meetings in Harare failedto reach an overall deal.
Tsvangirai has said Zimbabwe's post-election governmentshould be based on the March 29 first-round presidentialelection -- which he won, but not by a clear majority. Mugabesays the MDC should accept the result of the June 27 run-off.
"I am there (at the talks) to protect the will of thepeople and we are taking a principled stand. I maintain aprincipled stand to defend the will of the people," Tsvangiraisaid on Thursday.
Arthur Mutambara, whose break-away MDC faction has 10 seatsin parliament, has agreed to power-sharing with Mugabe, butexcluding Tsvangirai would be unlikely to end the crisis.
(Writing by Marius Bosch and MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing byMichael Georgy)
