Mbeki set to meet Mugabe, Mutambara

Mbeki set to meet Mugabe, Mutambara

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By Lebo Nkatazo

SOUTH African President Thabo Mbeki was expected in Harare on Wednesday for final discussions with President Robert Mugabe over a power-sharing deal with the opposition which could be signed as early as next week.

Mbeki, who is mediating an end to a decade-long political crisis, met opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai in Pretoria on Tuesday, his spokesman added.

In Harare, Mbeki will also meet Arthur Mutambara, leader of a faction of the MDC. Mutambara confirmed to New Zimbabwe.com on Wednesday that he would be meeting Mbeki. He denied reports that the talks were deadlocked, saying “tremendous progress had been made”.

Three teams of negotiators from the three main parties who have been meeting in Pretoria, South Africa, since Thursday last week have withdrawn to brief their principals and will be reconvening on Sunday.

Dumisani Muleya, the news editor of the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper said by telephone from Harare that the negotiators had “agreed on most of the things” and Mbeki would be clearing “a few minor hurdles”.

“President Mbeki wants to clear up a few things, mainly on positions and powers, before a final agreement is signed. The negotiators have agreed on most of the things that were up for discussion and Mbeki’s trip should be seen as a clincher. The outstanding issues are definitely not insurmountable… they should be easily resolved,” said Muleya, also the Zimbabwe correspondent for South Africa’s Business Day newspaper.

President Mbeki said Tuesday that the talks were progressing well, notwithstanding reports that the negotiators were deadlocked.

Mbeki told reporters: “The negotiators are negotiating. As you know they have been meeting here now for a number of days and they are continuing to do that. They are doing very well.”

And in Harare, MDC spokesman Tapiwa Mashakada quashed speculation that the talks were deadlocked.

"Negotiators have taken a break. It is just an ordinary recess," said Mashakada.

He said claims that the talks had broken down were “not true”, adding: “Negotiators just took a break and they would further be consulting their principals during the break.

"Parties to the negotiations agreed at the signing of the MoU that negotiators would need to brief their parties after a few days of talks."

On Friday, President Mbeki will brief an emergency gathering of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) organ on politics, defence and security in Angola on the progress made so far in the talks.
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