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Tsvangirai urges negotiated deal Tsvangirai urges negotiated deal
(30 minutes later)
Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has called for a "negotiated political settlement" which would allow the country to begin "healing".Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has called for a "negotiated political settlement" which would allow the country to begin "healing".
He also called for the immediate release of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) deputy Tendai Biti, held on treason charges.He also called for the immediate release of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) deputy Tendai Biti, held on treason charges.
He spoke after leaving the Dutch embassy, where he took refuge on Sunday after pulling out of a run-off vote.He spoke after leaving the Dutch embassy, where he took refuge on Sunday after pulling out of a run-off vote.
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has vowed to go ahead with Friday's vote.Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has vowed to go ahead with Friday's vote.
The Zimbabwean government has been criticised by the United Nations and South Africa's governing ANC party for the violence which has marked the run-up to the poll. Mr Mugabe officially came second to Mr Tsvangirai in the first round in March.
Mr Tsvangirai, leader of the MDC, urged the Zimbabwean authorities to end all violence and allow humanitarian aid to reach the country's people. Mr Tsvangirai announced he was pulling out of the election on Sunday, citing government-backed violence against his supporters.
Speaking at a news conference at his house in Harare, he told African heads of state that the "time for action is now" to resolve Zimbabwe's political and humanitarian crisis. type="text/css" href="/nol/shared/spl/hi/dhtml_slides/css/styles_226.css" media="screen" rel="stylesheet" />

class="h2_header">ZIMBABWE AND ITS NEIGHBOURS

Zimbabwe's opposition is hoping neighbouring countries will put pressure on President Robert Mugabe to step down. In the past they supported him. How are relations now?
South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki is the key Zimbabwe mediator. He has refused to criticise Robert Mugabe but the ruling ANC and trade unions have urged him to take a stronger line.
Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa has taken the region's strongest line on Zimbabwe. He says Zimbabwe is a regional "embarrassment".
Angola's President Jose Eduardo dos Santos is one of Robert Mugabe's closest allies - they fought colonialism together in the 1970s. He has urged Mr Mugabe to stop the violence.
Botswana has summoned a Zimbabwean envoy to complain about the political violence. It has been supportive of Zimbabwe's opposition.
Namibia is a close ally of Zimbabwe - it, too, is planning to redistribute white-owned farms to black villagers. It has not criticised the election violence.
Mozambique has hosted some white farmers forced from Zimbabwe and is seen as relatively sympathetic to Zimbabwe's opposition.
Tanzania's ruling party has a long history of close ties to Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party and its foreign minister has condemned the violence.
DR Congo's President Joseph Kabila is an ally of Robert Mugabe, who sent troops to help his father, Laurent Kabila, fight rebels.
Malawi is seen as neutral. But some 3m people of Malawian origin are in Zimbabwe, mostly farmworkers who have lost their jobs and were often assaulted during farm invasions.
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The Zimbabwean government has been criticised by the United Nations and South Africa's governing ANC party for the violence.
Speaking at a news conference at his home in Harare, Mr Tsvangirai said the run-off would not provide a solution to the crisis, describing the vote as an "exercise in futility".
In an appeal to African leaders, Mr Tsvangirai said the "time for action is now" to resolve Zimbabwe's political and humanitarian crisis.
"I am asking the AU [African Union] and Sadc [Southern African Development Community] to lead an expanded initiative supported by the UN to manage what I will call a transitional process," he said."I am asking the AU [African Union] and Sadc [Southern African Development Community] to lead an expanded initiative supported by the UN to manage what I will call a transitional process," he said.
Southern African leaders are meeting to discuss the crisis - amid international calls to isolate President Mugabe.
The summit involves leaders from Swaziland, Tanzania and Angola - but not from South Africa, despite earlier indications that President Thabo Mbeki would attend.
His spokesman said he had not been invited. The Angolan representative said Mr Mbeki's views would be taken into account.
DemandsDemands
Mr Tsvangirai also listed four key demands that he described as a way out of the crisis.Mr Tsvangirai also listed four key demands that he described as a way out of the crisis.
  • Violence must stop immediately - war veterans and youth militias should return home and checkpoints be removed
  • Humanitarian assistance must be allowed into the country
  • All members of parliament elected on 29 March must be sworn in
  • All political prisoners, including the MDC secretary general, must be released immediately
  • Violence must stop immediately - war veterans and youth militias should return home and checkpoints be removed
  • Humanitarian assistance must be allowed into the country
  • All members of parliament elected on 29 March must be sworn in
  • All political prisoners, including the MDC secretary general, must be released immediately
He said the details of his proposals would need to be hammered out through negotiations.He said the details of his proposals would need to be hammered out through negotiations.
The MDC says some 86 of its supporters have been killed and 200,000 forced from their homes by militias loyal to the ruling Zanu-PF party. The government blames the MDC for the violence.The MDC says some 86 of its supporters have been killed and 200,000 forced from their homes by militias loyal to the ruling Zanu-PF party. The government blames the MDC for the violence.