Mediation talks resume under chairmanship of Mbeki

By Tichaona Sibanda
14 January 2008

Negotiators from Zanu-PF and the MDC resumed talks in Pretoria on Saturday, under the direct chairmanship of South African President Thabo Mbeki.

There are reports of a ‘significant development’ from the crisis talks, although both sides remained tight-lipped on Monday. A source told us that President Mbeki managed to get both sides to agree to some concessions on the two contentious issues - the date for elections and the adoption of a new constitution.

Mbeki managed to kick-start the stalled talks on Saturday and the tense discussions spilled over into Sunday in what analysts believe might have been the last-gasp effort to strike a deal between the MDC and Zanu-PF before the country goes to the polls this year.

All the deadlines imposed at the talks have so far been missed and it’s reported that in his welcoming remarks Mbeki urged all sides to work hard to narrow their differences.

‘Both sides are quite comfortable with the outcome of the talks, so what remains now is for the negotiators to meet and brief their top party structures,’ said our source.

The MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai is believed to have called for an urgent meeting of the top leadership in Harare on Tuesday, to discuss the outcome of the talks.

Harare North MP Trudy Stevenson – from the Mutambara faction - said they also expect their negotiators to brief them sometime this week. Commenting on the reported ‘significant developments,’ Stevenson said it would be great news for all Zimbabweans if indeed the talks came out with something realistic.

‘I wouldn’t want to believe the MDC gave in to Zanu-PF demands, or the opposite, but all that we want is a realistic outcome that will allow for a free and fair election in the country,’ Stevenson said.

Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti, the secretary-generals of the two MDC factions, represented their party, while Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Social Welfare Minister Nicholas Goche led the Zanu-PF delegation.

Before this weekend’s meeting, the MDC had been insisting on a transitional constitution, as well as a delay in the election date, to give more time for democratic reforms and other legal changes.