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| Mbeki 'sure' of Zimbabwe progress | Mbeki 'sure' of Zimbabwe progress |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| South Africa's ex-President Thabo Mbeki is confident he will be able to salvage Zimbabwe's power-sharing deal in talks in Harare, his spokesman says. | South Africa's ex-President Thabo Mbeki is confident he will be able to salvage Zimbabwe's power-sharing deal in talks in Harare, his spokesman says. |
| "We are convinced that we should be able in the end, no matter how long it takes, to reach a conclusion," he said. | "We are convinced that we should be able in the end, no matter how long it takes, to reach a conclusion," he said. |
| Negotiations stalled after President Robert Mugabe allocated key ministries to his Zanu-PF party at the weekend. | Negotiations stalled after President Robert Mugabe allocated key ministries to his Zanu-PF party at the weekend. |
| Mr Mbeki has started the talks, as parliament meets for the first time since August, when MPs were sworn in. | Mr Mbeki has started the talks, as parliament meets for the first time since August, when MPs were sworn in. |
| Parliament, where the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) now has a majority, is expected to debate a constitutional amendment to allow MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai to become prime minster, a key point of the agreement. | Parliament, where the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) now has a majority, is expected to debate a constitutional amendment to allow MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai to become prime minster, a key point of the agreement. |
| As far as we are concerned, the only contention is the Ministry of Finance Patrick ChinamasaZanu-PF negotiator Crunch time for Mbeki's legacyHarare diary: Daydreaming overSend us your comments | As far as we are concerned, the only contention is the Ministry of Finance Patrick ChinamasaZanu-PF negotiator Crunch time for Mbeki's legacyHarare diary: Daydreaming overSend us your comments |
| Mr Mbeki is meeting Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai in a Harare hotel, where negotiators from both sides earlier held separate meetings. | Mr Mbeki is meeting Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai in a Harare hotel, where negotiators from both sides earlier held separate meetings. |
| Mr Tsvangirai has threatened to pull out of the deal after a government list published on Saturday gave the main ministries, including defence, home, foreign affairs, and justice, to Zanu-PF. | Mr Tsvangirai has threatened to pull out of the deal after a government list published on Saturday gave the main ministries, including defence, home, foreign affairs, and justice, to Zanu-PF. |
| He wants all cabinet positions to be revisited in discussions with Mr Mbeki, who brokered the agreement signed last month, but Zanu-PF says only one ministry - finance - is up for discussion. | He wants all cabinet positions to be revisited in discussions with Mr Mbeki, who brokered the agreement signed last month, but Zanu-PF says only one ministry - finance - is up for discussion. |
| "As far as we are concerned, the only contention is the Ministry of Finance," Zanu-PF negotiator Patrick Chinamasa told the state-run Herald newspaper. | "As far as we are concerned, the only contention is the Ministry of Finance," Zanu-PF negotiator Patrick Chinamasa told the state-run Herald newspaper. |
| According to the deal - which allocates 14 ministries to Zanu-PF, 13 to Mr Tsvangirai's MDC and three to a smaller MDC faction - only Zanu-PF has a ministerial seat vacant. | According to the deal - which allocates 14 ministries to Zanu-PF, 13 to Mr Tsvangirai's MDC and three to a smaller MDC faction - only Zanu-PF has a ministerial seat vacant. |
| Relaxed | Relaxed |
| Mr Mbeki arrived in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, on Monday night. | Mr Mbeki arrived in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, on Monday night. |
| It is his first intervention in Zimbabwe since he was forced to step down as South African president by his party, the African National Congress (ANC), just days after brokering the agreement. | It is his first intervention in Zimbabwe since he was forced to step down as South African president by his party, the African National Congress (ANC), just days after brokering the agreement. |
| Morgan Tsvangirai has threatened to pull out of the deal | |
| Correspondents say it is not clear if he will still wield the same clout in negotiations. | Correspondents say it is not clear if he will still wield the same clout in negotiations. |
| Local journalist Brian Hungwe says he looked at ease as he arrived in Harare, smiling and waving to people. | Local journalist Brian Hungwe says he looked at ease as he arrived in Harare, smiling and waving to people. |
| But political analysts say Mr Mbeki has little room to manoeuvre given the stance of both parties. | But political analysts say Mr Mbeki has little room to manoeuvre given the stance of both parties. |
| Richard Dowden, director of the UK's Royal African Society, says Mr Mugabe has "made a mockery of the agreement". | Richard Dowden, director of the UK's Royal African Society, says Mr Mugabe has "made a mockery of the agreement". |
| He say the MDC will have to go back to "trench warfare" and mount a diplomatic offensive within Africa. | He say the MDC will have to go back to "trench warfare" and mount a diplomatic offensive within Africa. |
| "I think what the MDC will do is appeal directly to [ANC leader Jacob] Zuma where they know they have someone more sympathetic to them than Mbeki," Mr Dowden told the BBC's Today programme. | "I think what the MDC will do is appeal directly to [ANC leader Jacob] Zuma where they know they have someone more sympathetic to them than Mbeki," Mr Dowden told the BBC's Today programme. |
| "[The South African government] might begin to use the sort of instruments people have been urging Mbeki to use for years - just simple public disapproval of what Mugabe is doing might have an affect." | "[The South African government] might begin to use the sort of instruments people have been urging Mbeki to use for years - just simple public disapproval of what Mugabe is doing might have an affect." |
| 'Faith' | 'Faith' |
| Some people in the capital, frustrated by the deadlock and the crippling economic crisis, have been asking why Mr Mbeki allowed a deal to be signed without the cabinet post being agreed, Brian Hungwe says. | Some people in the capital, frustrated by the deadlock and the crippling economic crisis, have been asking why Mr Mbeki allowed a deal to be signed without the cabinet post being agreed, Brian Hungwe says. |
| MINISTRY DIVISION Zanu-PF: 14 ministries including: DefenceForeign affairs JusticeLocal governmentMedia Main MDC: 13 ministries including: Constitutional and parliamentary affairsEconomic planning and investment promotionLabourSportArts and cultureScience and technology development MDC (Mutambara): three including: EducationIndustry and commerce Source: Government gazette | MINISTRY DIVISION Zanu-PF: 14 ministries including: DefenceForeign affairs JusticeLocal governmentMedia Main MDC: 13 ministries including: Constitutional and parliamentary affairsEconomic planning and investment promotionLabourSportArts and cultureScience and technology development MDC (Mutambara): three including: EducationIndustry and commerce Source: Government gazette |
| "Nobody held a gun on the head of anybody to say: 'Thou shalt sign or elseâ¦'," said Mr Mbeki's spokesman, Mukoni Ratshitanga. | "Nobody held a gun on the head of anybody to say: 'Thou shalt sign or elseâ¦'," said Mr Mbeki's spokesman, Mukoni Ratshitanga. |
| "It's the political parties in Zimbabwe that had decided they had reached an agreement." | "It's the political parties in Zimbabwe that had decided they had reached an agreement." |
| On Sunday, Mr Tsvangirai said that if Zanu-PF wanted the defence ministry, the MDC must have home affairs, which controls the police. | On Sunday, Mr Tsvangirai said that if Zanu-PF wanted the defence ministry, the MDC must have home affairs, which controls the police. |
| "We are still placing our faith in the efforts of the mediator, and that Zanu-PF has to be persuaded that it has to share and not grab power," MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said, Reuters news agency reports. | "We are still placing our faith in the efforts of the mediator, and that Zanu-PF has to be persuaded that it has to share and not grab power," MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said, Reuters news agency reports. |
| Before Mr Mbeki's arrival, Mr Mugabe swore in two vice-presidents. | Before Mr Mbeki's arrival, Mr Mugabe swore in two vice-presidents. |
| The European Union condemned Mr Mugabe's "unilateral decision" to form a new government and ministers hinted that they could extend sanctions against Mr Mugabe and his close allies. | The European Union condemned Mr Mugabe's "unilateral decision" to form a new government and ministers hinted that they could extend sanctions against Mr Mugabe and his close allies. |
| On Thursday, it was announced that Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate had soared to 231,000,000% - by far the highest in the world. | On Thursday, it was announced that Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate had soared to 231,000,000% - by far the highest in the world. |
| The UN says two million people are in need of food aid, and that the figure will rise to 5.1 million - or 45% of the population - by early 2009. | The UN says two million people are in need of food aid, and that the figure will rise to 5.1 million - or 45% of the population - by early 2009. |