Zimbabwe talks: Mbeki jets in

[XXPANTHAXX]

By Sydney Kawadza
Zimbabwe Herald

SOUTH AFRICAN President Thabo Mbeki, who is mediating in the inter-party
dialogue between Zimbabwe’s three main political parties, arrived in the
country yesterday armed with a document which seeks to resolve the issue
of sharing and distributing executive powers.

The document, a source said, will lay the basis for the continuation of
the negotiations between Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations which
stalled last month when Morgan Tsvangirai asked for time to "reflect and
consult" on the agreement assented to by President Mugabe and Arthur
Mutambara and endorsed by Sadc leaders at their summit last month.

President Mbeki arrived in Harare yesterday afternoon accompanied by his
facilitating team of Local Government Minister Mr Sydney Mufamadi,
director-general in the presidency Reverend Frank Chikane and legal
advisor Advocate Mojankunyane Gumbi.

The source said the document was presented to all the parties during a
meeting held at the Rainbow Towers in Harare yesterday when the
negotiations resumed.

"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 negotiators are now reviewing the mechanism presented in the
document. It is an extensive and technical document.

"The negotiators would study, debate and try to find common ground
before the resumption of the talks," the source said.

The negotiators, the source said, have to find common ground on the
proposed structure of government and review the positions put for
debate.

By last night, the negotiators were still locked up in a meeting and are
expected to present the results of their negotiations to their
principals today.

President Mugabe, who was the first to leave the meeting venue,
expressed optimism, saying although a deal had not yet been reached, the
parties had made much progress.

"It (the meeting) was a very good meeting. We are moving forward. We are
not going back (with the dialogue)."

Tsvangirai, who emerged from the meeting after President Mugabe,
referred all questions to party spokesperson Nelson Chamisa, who said
the talks were a work in progress with the negotiators continuing with
the process last night to find areas of consensus.

"There are some differences but negotiators are working at narrowing
them (and) we are hoping to finalise the process tomorrow (today)," said
Chamisa.

Mutambara said although the party’s six negotiators were continuing with
the talks to deal with the outstanding issues, the "struggle continues
unabated" in the talks.

President Mugabe and several Cabinet ministers, among them Minister of
National Security, Lands, Land Reform and Resettlement, Cde Didymus
Mutasa; Minister of Rural Housing and Social Amenities, Cde Emmerson
Mnangagwa; Minister of Foreign Affairs Cde Simbarashe Mumbengegwi;
Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Cde Nicholas
Goche; service chiefs and other senior Government officials, welcomed
President Mbeki at the Harare International Airport.

President Mbeki’s visit is expected to push Tsvangirai to append his
signature to the agreement that would pave way for President Mugabe to
form an all-inclusive Government.