Tsvangirai seeks EU support for inclusive government

• MDC (Tsvangirai) national council resolutions

• Tsvangirai's MDC to join unity government

• Tsvangirai running out of options - analysts

• Zanu PF asks Mugabe to form new government

• SADC leans heavily on Tsvangirai to share Home Affairs

• Mugabe vows to form new government

• Document: SADC communique on Zimbabwe, DRC

• SADC leaders fail to break Zimbabwe impasse

• Ncube gets newspaper apology

• South Africa tells Zimbabwe leaders 'enough is enough'

• Ncube interview: the truth about alleged 'doctoring' of power sharing document

• Ncube slams 'malicious' report over changes to power share document

• Tsvangirai drops passport demand ahead of summit

• SADC leaders recommend Home Affairs rotation

• Document: SADC communique on Zimbabwe deadlock

• SADC leaders fail to break Zimbabwe impasse

• Arrests as protesters demand Zim cabinet

• Mbeki 'very optimistic' of Zimbabwe deal

• SADC leaders in Harare, seek end to cabinet impasse

• Motlanthe tells Tsvangirai to end boycott

• Tsvangirai performs U-turn on SADC summit

• Janah Ncube: patience with Mugabe, Tsvangirai wearing thin

• War veterans threaten action against Tsvangirai

• Zuma slams 'weird' move to deny Tsvangirai passport

• Solved: how Zimbabwe parties can fairly share ministries

• SADC summit postponed, moved to Harare

• Tsvangirai snubs King's offer to fly him to summit

Posted to the web: 16/11/2008 21:32:22
ZIMBABWEAN opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai warned Sunday that President Robert Mugabe would cause the collapse of a power-sharing agreement if he imposes a unity government.

"He would have literally collapsed the deal," Tsvangirai told AFP in Strasbourg, northern France, during a rare visit to Europe.

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader also said negotiations on the power-sharing government with Mugabe must not be allowed to run on indefinitely.

"It can't be forever," Tsvangirai said. "We cannot go on and on and on."

At a press conference earlier, Tsvangirai insisted that his party was not turning its back on its pledges and said it was vital for Zimbabwe to seize the chance to form a government.

"We are not walking away from the deal, we support the deal. We continue to defend the deal. But it must be a deal that reflects equitable power sharing," he told reporters.

"If we miss the opportunity, then the tragedy for the country is even too desperate to contemplate."

Zimbabwe's economy has collapsed with the world's highest inflation rate and major food shortages, and many had expressed hope that the power-sharing deal would be a way out of both the country's economic and political crises.

The MDC has said it would only join a unity government once a constitutional amendment is passed to comply with all the terms of the September 15 deal, under which Mugabe would remain president and Tsvangirai become premier.

Zimbabwe's parliament needs to approve an amendment to create the office of the prime minister and define its powers.

Mugabe vowed to soon form a new government after regional leaders proposed earlier this month that his Zanu PF and the MDC immediately set up a new cabinet. The proposal was rejected by the opposition.

EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel underscored that the opposition leader retained the European Union's backing for his quest to become prime minister.

"I assured Tsvangirai of our support. Under the current circumstances, he doesn't seem able to assume his responsibilities (as premier), he wants the means provided by this responsibility, and we support him in this," he said.

"The strongest pressure that the EU can apply" to help him "is to announce a very strong (aid) commitment if a government is soon formed," Michel said.

The European Commission provided Zimbabwe with around 90 million euros (114 million dollars) in humanitarian aid in 2007, but all development aid to Mugabe's regime has been frozen. - AFP
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