Rising Optimism As To Near-Term Deal In Zimbabwe Power-Sharing Talks
Executive Secretary Tomaz Salamao of the Southern African Development Community quoted mediator and South African President Thabo Mbeki
Power-sharing talks between Zimbabwe's long-ruling ZANU-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change, which has a majority of seats in parliament, enteredday three of their latest phase on Wednesday amid keen expectation in Harare and beyond that an elusive deal for co-governance could be within reach by Thursday. Sources said they believed new proposals tabled Monday by South African President Thabo Mbeki, mediator in the talks on behalf of the Southern African Development Community, might unlock a weeks-long political impasse. The talks began late in July and in recent weeks many observers conjectured they had fatally deadlocked. Despite mounting optimism, some noted that the only major breakthrough has been an agreement to write a newconstitution within eighteen months of an agreement. Sources close to the talks said Mr. Mbeki proposed that MDC founder Morgan Tsvangirai as prime minister in a cooperative government would have charge of allministries, but be answerable to President Robert Mugabe, who would chair the cabinet. The sources said Tsvangirai would chair the cabinet in the absence of Mr. Mugabe. Others said ZANU-PF remains determined that Mr. Mugabe should hold the lion's share of executive powers making Tsvangirai a ceremonial prime minister. Elsewhere, a meeting of the SADC troika or committee on politics set for Wednesday in Swaziland was put off indefinitely. SADC Executive Secretary Tomaz Salamao said Mr. Mbeki requested more time for the negotiations which were in a “critical stage.” .