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| Zimbabwe rivals to discuss deal | Zimbabwe rivals to discuss deal |
| (10 minutes 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. Mr Mugabe will remain president and 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, 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. |
| There has been a muted reaction on the streets of Harare as people wait to see full details of the agreement. | There has been a muted reaction on the streets of Harare as people wait to see full details of the agreement. |
| Compromise | 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. |
| The breakthrough came after the last four days of talks in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare. | The breakthrough came after the last four days of talks in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME 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. | 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. | 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. |
| One unconfirmed report on Friday said that the two opposition groups would have one more cabinet seat than the ruling Zanu-PF party. | |
| Senator David Coltart, a member of a small breakaway faction of the MDC, told Reuters news agency that the main MDC group would have 13 cabinet seats, Zanu-PF 15 seats and his group three seats. | |
| He said Mr Mugabe's presidential powers would be greatly reduced under the deal and Mr Tsvangirai, as prime minister, would have substantial but not absolute power. | |
| On Thursday, Mr Tsvangirai was first to announce the breakthrough, telling reporters simply: "We've got a deal." | |
| Zimbabweans share views on 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 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. | 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." | "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. | 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. | "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' | 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 | 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 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. |
| 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 presidential run-off election in June. | Mr Mugabe, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, won a controversial presidential run-off election in June. |
| He ran unopposed after Mr Tsvangirai withdrew, claiming the MDC was the target of state-sponsored violence. | He ran unopposed after Mr Tsvangirai withdrew, claiming the MDC was the target of state-sponsored violence. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Are you in Zimbabwe or do you have family or friends there? What is your reaction to the news of a power-sharing deal? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you in Zimbabwe or do you have family or friends there? What is your reaction to the news of a power-sharing deal? Send us your comments using the form below. |