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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Zimbabwe parties call for peace | Zimbabwe parties call for peace |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Zimbabwe's ruling and opposition parties have issued a joint call for an end to post-election violence. | Zimbabwe's ruling and opposition parties have issued a joint call for an end to post-election violence. |
| A statement called on supporters and members "to stop and desist the perpetration of violence in any form", Reuters news agency reports. | A statement called on supporters and members "to stop and desist the perpetration of violence in any form", Reuters news agency reports. |
| President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change have been holding crisis talks in South Africa. | President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change have been holding crisis talks in South Africa. |
| The parties have been trying to negotiate a power-sharing deal. | The parties have been trying to negotiate a power-sharing deal. |
| Mr Mugabe won a run-off presidential election in June after opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai pulled out because of a campaign of violence against his supporters. | Mr Mugabe won a run-off presidential election in June after opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai pulled out because of a campaign of violence against his supporters. |
| Last month, the two rivals agreed to hold crisis talks after meeting for the first time in a decade. | Last month, the two rivals agreed to hold crisis talks after meeting for the first time in a decade. |
| Draft agreement | |
| A two-week deadline to complete the talks passed on Monday without any news of a deal. | A two-week deadline to complete the talks passed on Monday without any news of a deal. |
| The appeal came as the Star newspaper in South Africa said a draft agreement was being circulated under which Mr Tsvangirai would run Zimbabwe as prime minister and Mr Mugabe would serve as a ceremonial president. | |
| It really could develop into a humanitarian catastrophe unless action is taken as quickly as possible Matthew Cochrane IFRC | |
| The South African talks have been held at a secret location and are subject to a media blackout. | The South African talks have been held at a secret location and are subject to a media blackout. |
| Meanwhile, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has warned of a growing food crisis in Zimbabwe. | |
| It said two million people were short of food because of poor harvests and economic collapse, and warned that the figure could rise to five million by early next year. | |
| A spokesman for the federation, Matthew Cochrane, told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that such a figure would represent about 45% of Zimbabwe's population. | |
| "It is a very worrying situation and it really could develop into a humanitarian catastrophe unless action is taken as quickly as possible and as effectively as possible," he said. | |
| The federation is appealing for $26m (£13m) to help deal with the crisis. | |
| Zimbabwe's economy has been crippled by hyperinflation that has left people struggling to buy basic goods and food. | |
| Mr Tsvangirai won the first round of Zimbabwe's presidential poll in March, but official results gave him less than the 50% needed for an outright victory. | |
| Subsequently, the opposition said that more than 120 of its supporters had been killed, some 5,000 abducted and 200,000 forced to flee their homes after being attacked by Zanu-PF militias and security agents. | |
| The government blames the MDC for the violence. |