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Zimbabwe rivals to discuss deal Zimbabwe rivals to discuss deal
(about 1 hour later)
Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is due to meet President Robert Mugabe to discuss details of a breakthrough power-sharing government.Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is due to meet President Robert Mugabe to discuss details of a breakthrough power-sharing government.
The meeting follows an announcement late on Thursday that a deal had been struck after seven weeks of talks.The meeting follows an announcement late on Thursday that a deal had been struck after seven weeks of talks.
It is thought that Mr Tsvangirai will become prime minister and will chair a council of ministers, while Mr Mugabe will head the cabinet. It is thought that Mr Tsvangirai will become prime minister and will chair a council of ministers. Mr Mugabe will remain president and head the cabinet.
Mr Tsvangirai has confirmed the deal, but Mr Mugabe has yet to comment.Mr Tsvangirai has confirmed the deal, but Mr Mugabe has yet to comment.
South African President Thabo Mbeki, who mediated the talks in Harare, said the agreement would be signed and made public on Monday. South African President Thabo Mbeki, who mediated the talks, said the agreement would be signed and made public on Monday.
The government and the opposition MDC had already agreed that Mr Tsvangirai would be prime minister with Mr Mugabe staying on as president. There has been a muted reaction on the streets of Harare as people wait to see full details of the agreement.
Compromise
Negotiations started at the end of July, but had stalled over the allocation of executive power between Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai, bitter rivals for a decade.Negotiations started at the end of July, but had stalled over the allocation of executive power between Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai, bitter rivals for a decade.
'Parallel governments' The breakthrough came after the last four days of talks in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare.
Mr Tsvangirai may now chair a new council of ministers and control the day-to-day running of the country, but Mr Mugabe will head the cabinet, the BBC's Peter Biles says. FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm">More from Today programme
Mr Tsvangirai, the head of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, had demanded to become executive prime minister, thereby taking over some of the powers that Mr Mugabe has exercised for more than 28 years.
It is now thought that Mr Tsvangirai will chair a new council of ministers and control the day-to-day running of the country, but Mr Mugabe will head the cabinet, the BBC's Peter Biles says.
However, how two, in effect parallel, governments will work is unclear, he adds.However, how two, in effect parallel, governments will work is unclear, he adds.
Mr Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was first to announce the breakthrough, telling reporters simply: "We've got a deal." Mr Tsvangirai 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 The views of some Zimbabweans on the deal
Later, Mr Mbeki told a news conference the two sides had agreed to form an inclusive government.Later, Mr Mbeki told a news conference the two sides had agreed to form an inclusive government.
He said: "I am absolutely certain that the leadership of Zimbabwe is committed to implementing these agreements."He said: "I am absolutely certain that the leadership of Zimbabwe is committed to implementing these agreements."
MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told the BBC: "Both political parties are committed, it's our wish that the deal will be successful." MDC chairman and Zimbabwe's parliamentary speaker Lovemore Moyo told the BBC that although his party was pleased with the deal, it had been a compromise.
"We wanted a titular head of state with an executive prime minister but that did not happen. So what we got at the end of the day perhaps was probably nearly a sister-sister power-sharing, so I'm saying it's not exactly initially what we wanted."
He said the MDC would tread cautiously with the ruling Zanu-PF party.
"We are ready and prepared to work for the Zimbabweans and without reservations. But obviously you have to be careful when you work with a party like Zanu-PF," he said.
Diplomatic 'triumph'
Zimbabwe's envoy to the UN, Boniface Chidyausiku, told the BBC that the deal was a "triumph for African diplomacy".Zimbabwe's envoy to the UN, Boniface Chidyausiku, told the BBC that the deal was a "triumph for African diplomacy".
The UN special representative on Zimbabwe, Haile Menkerios, said the announcement marked a way forward that all sides could live with.The UN special representative on Zimbabwe, Haile Menkerios, said the announcement marked a way forward that all sides could live with.
Profile: Robert MugabeProfile: Morgan Tsvangirai
Britain's Foreign Office said it was following the situation closely, adding that "our concern is the welfare of the Zimbabwean people".Britain's Foreign Office said it was following the situation closely, adding that "our concern is the welfare of the Zimbabwean people".
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.
Mr Tsvangirai has consistently demanded that he should become executive prime minister, thereby taking over some of the powers that Mr Mugabe has exercised for more than 28 years, our correspondent says.
Aid hopes
The agreement opens the way for international donors to help to revive Zimbabwe's economy.The agreement opens the way for international donors to help to revive Zimbabwe's economy.
Profile: Robert Mugabe
It is now the fastest shrinking in the world with annual inflation of more than 11,000,000%.It is now the fastest shrinking in the world with annual inflation of more than 11,000,000%.
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 presidential run-off election in June.
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. He ran unopposed after Mr Tsvangirai withdrew, claiming the MDC was the target of state-sponsored violence.
Earlier on Thursday, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said any power-sharing deal in Zimbabwe would be judged by how much it reflected legitimate election results. In the first round of the 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.
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