Mbeki heads to Harare for talks wrap-up
Sunday, 10 August 2008
HARARE, Aug 9 (AFP): South African President Thabo Mbeki heads to Harare Saturday for meetings with the country's political rivals as the parties draw closer to a power-sharing deal to end Zimbabwe's political and economic crises.
The Herald newspaper quoted President Robert Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba as saying Mbeki's visit was "to hold consultations with the principals of negotiations".
"This is an important milestone that has been registered in the inter-party dialogue," Charamba was reported as saying.
"He is going to meet the three principals basically to update them on the progress made so far and to consult on how to take the dialogue forward."
The visit by Mbeki, who mediates in negotiations between Mugabe's party and the Zimbabwe opposition, comes after more than two weeks of discussions in South Africa between representatives of the rival sides.
It was unclear, however, whether the meetings with Mugabe, opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara leader of a smaller faction of the MDC, would be held separately or in one session.
A source close to the negotiations said: "We are not yet sure how the meetings will go.
"There are things which were referred to the principals and need to be sorted out before President Mbeki comes," the source told AFP.
"At the moment there is no clear position."
The three political rivals signed a memorandum of understanding last month to pave way for a power-sharing agreement to end the country's political and economic crises.
The Herald newspaper quoted President Robert Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba as saying Mbeki's visit was "to hold consultations with the principals of negotiations".
"This is an important milestone that has been registered in the inter-party dialogue," Charamba was reported as saying.
"He is going to meet the three principals basically to update them on the progress made so far and to consult on how to take the dialogue forward."
The visit by Mbeki, who mediates in negotiations between Mugabe's party and the Zimbabwe opposition, comes after more than two weeks of discussions in South Africa between representatives of the rival sides.
It was unclear, however, whether the meetings with Mugabe, opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara leader of a smaller faction of the MDC, would be held separately or in one session.
A source close to the negotiations said: "We are not yet sure how the meetings will go.
"There are things which were referred to the principals and need to be sorted out before President Mbeki comes," the source told AFP.
"At the moment there is no clear position."
The three political rivals signed a memorandum of understanding last month to pave way for a power-sharing agreement to end the country's political and economic crises.