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| Zimbabwe rivals agree unity deal | Zimbabwe rivals agree unity deal |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe have reached a deal to share power. | Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe have reached a deal to share power. |
| After mediating four days of talks in Harare, South African President Thabo Mbeki said the agreement would be signed and made public on Monday. | After mediating four days of talks in Harare, South African President Thabo Mbeki said the agreement would be signed and made public on Monday. |
| Mr Mbeki did not give any details. Mr Tsvangirai has confirmed the deal, but Mr Mugabe has yet to comment. | Mr Mbeki did not give any details. Mr Tsvangirai has confirmed the deal, but Mr Mugabe has yet to comment. |
| The government and MDC had already agreed that Mr Tsvangirai would be PM with Mr Mugabe staying on as president. | The government and MDC had already agreed that Mr Tsvangirai would be PM with Mr Mugabe staying on as president. |
| Negotiations have been on-off since the end of July, but have stalled over the allocation of executive power between Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai, bitter rivals for a decade. | Negotiations have been on-off since the end of July, but have stalled over the allocation of executive power between Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai, bitter rivals for a decade. |
| Aid hopes | Aid hopes |
| Mr Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was first to announce the breakthrough, telling reporters simply: "We've got a deal." | |
| class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/6439617.stm">Profile: Morgan Tsvangirai | |
| Later, Mr Mbeki told a news conference the two sides had agreed unanimously to form an inclusive government. | |
| He said: "I am absolutely certain that the leadership of Zimbabwe is committed to implementing these agreements." | |
| The discussions are thought to have been deadlocked over how many ministries each party should have in a unity government, and how much power Mr Mugabe should retain. | The discussions are thought to have been deadlocked over how many ministries each party should have in a unity government, and how much power Mr Mugabe should retain. |
| MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told the BBC: "Both political parties are committed, it's our wish that the deal will be successful." | MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told the BBC: "Both political parties are committed, it's our wish that the deal will be successful." |
| BBC Africa editor Martin Plaut says the agreement opens the way for international donors to help to revive Zimbabwe's economy. | BBC Africa editor Martin Plaut says the agreement opens the way for international donors to help to revive Zimbabwe's economy. |
| It is now the fastest shrinking in the world with inflation of at least two million per cent, he says. | It is now the fastest shrinking in the world with inflation of at least two million per cent, he says. |
| Mr Mugabe, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, won a controversial June presidential run-off election unopposed after Mr Tsvangirai withdrew, claiming the MDC was the target of state-sponsored violence. | Mr Mugabe, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, won a controversial June presidential run-off election unopposed after Mr Tsvangirai withdrew, claiming the MDC was the target of state-sponsored violence. |
| Profile: Robert Mugabe | |
| In the first presidential election in March, Mr Tsvangirai gained more votes than Mr Mugabe, but official results say he did not pass the 50% threshold for outright victory. | In the first presidential election in March, Mr Tsvangirai gained more votes than Mr Mugabe, but official results say he did not pass the 50% threshold for outright victory. |
| Citing March's results, Mr Tsvangirai has said he should be head of government and lead cabinet meetings, while Mr Mugabe should be relegated to a ceremonial position. | |
| Earlier on Thursday Gordon Brown, prime minister of the UK, the country's former colonial ruler, said any power-sharing deal in Zimbabwe would be judged by how much it reflected legitimate election results. |