Power-sharing deal close in Zimbabwe
Wednesday, 6 August 2008
JOHANNESBURG, August 5 (Reuters): Zimbabwe's ruling party and the opposition are close to a power-sharing deal that would turn Robert Mugabe into a ceremonial president, a South African newspaper reported on Tuesday.
The report came as Zimbabwean state media reported ZANU-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change had agreed to expand their negotiating teams in a move the ruling party called a "good omen."
The report in The Star newspaper cited unnamed sources close to the negotiations as saying the agreement would make MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai executive prime minister.
Zimbabwean government and MDC officials were not immediately available for comment on the report.
"They are down to detail now," the newspaper quoted one source as saying.
"Although how long that will take is still unclear. But a deal is not far off. Not at all."
Mugabe's ZANU-PF began power-sharing talks with the MDC two weeks ago in South Africa after Mugabe was re-elected in a widely condemned poll boycotted by the opposition.
The two sides are under heavy international pressure, including from within Africa, to resolve a crisis that has ruined the once prosperous economy and flooded neighboring states with millions of refugees.
The report came as Zimbabwean state media reported ZANU-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change had agreed to expand their negotiating teams in a move the ruling party called a "good omen."
The report in The Star newspaper cited unnamed sources close to the negotiations as saying the agreement would make MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai executive prime minister.
Zimbabwean government and MDC officials were not immediately available for comment on the report.
"They are down to detail now," the newspaper quoted one source as saying.
"Although how long that will take is still unclear. But a deal is not far off. Not at all."
Mugabe's ZANU-PF began power-sharing talks with the MDC two weeks ago in South Africa after Mugabe was re-elected in a widely condemned poll boycotted by the opposition.
The two sides are under heavy international pressure, including from within Africa, to resolve a crisis that has ruined the once prosperous economy and flooded neighboring states with millions of refugees.