Zimbabwe’s political rivals, due to start a second day of last-ditch meetings, were given a document by South Africa’s Thabo Mbeki aimed at unlocking a power-sharing stalemate, a state daily reported on Tuesday.
The ”extensive and technical” document, which looked at executive powers and the structure of an inclusive government, was given to negotiators for review, the government mouthpiece Herald newspaper reported.
”President Mbeki has submitted a document that looks at the executive powers and their distribution, while it also looks at the structure of an all-inclusive government if the parties agree to it,” the newspaper said, citing an unnamed source.
”The negotiators would study, debate and try to find common ground before resumption of the talks.”
The document would also lay the basis of further negotiations between the Zanu-PF of President Robert Mugabe and the two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) factions, the newspaper said.
Mbeki, who was appointed by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to mediate in talks aimed at resolving Zimbabwe’s political and economic crisis, arrived in Harare on Monday to try to resume negotiations.
The talks hit a deadlock last month after Mugabe and main opposition MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai differed on the sharing of executive powers.
Mugabe last week gave Tsvangirai an ultimatum to sign a deal, saying that he would form a new Cabinet.
Tsvangirai, on the other hand, said he would only agree to a deal that gives him ”sufficient powers.”
Zimbabwe’s political rivals failed to secure agreement in power-sharing talks on Monday, but Mugabe and the opposition hinted that the deadlock could be broken soon.
Remote prospects
However, prospects for a power-sharing deal in Zimbabwe look remote and the current round of negotiations is unlikely to produce a breakthrough, a senior ruling Zanu-PF party official said on Tuesday.
”Our assessment is that they are simply trying to put spanners in the works, and they are not serious about reaching a workable power-sharing arrangement,” the Zanu-PF official told Reuters.
”If that is their approach, and we believe it is, there are just no prospects for any agreement. Instead of a power-sharing arrangement, they are looking at deposing Zanu-PF and transferring power to the MDC through these talks.”
The sides were due to meet again on Tuesday.
Two months of meetings in South Africa and Harare have so far failed to ease divisions over how to share executive powers.
Election challenge
Tsvangirai said on Sunday he would rather quit talks than sign a bad deal and challenged Mugabe to hold a new election.
Tsvangirai beat Mugabe in a March 29 election but fell short of enough votes to avoid a June run-off, which was won by Mugabe unopposed after Tsvangirai pulled out, citing violence and intimidation against his supporters.
Mugabe’s victory in the election run-off was condemned around the world and drew toughened sanctions from Western countries, whose support is vital for reviving Zimbabwe’s ruined economy.
Mbeki has come under repeated fire for not being tough enough with Mugabe, in power since 1980.
Other Southern African leaders have taken a harder line against Mugabe, but he has resisted pressure, and Tsvangirai’s MDC has made it clear it has little faith in Mbeki as a mediator. — AFP, Reuters