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Zimbabwe's MDC 'agrees' to deal Zimbabwe rival agrees unity plan
(about 1 hour later)
The national executive of Zimbabwe's main opposition party has agreed to join a unity government with President Robert Mugabe, the BBC has learned. Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said his party will join a unity government with President Robert Mugabe next month.
The national council of the opposition Movement of Democratic Change (MDC) still needs to endorse the deal. The deal, proposed by Southern African leaders, would see Mr Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister on 11 February.
Regional mediator South Africa had said the MDC would commit to the deal signed last year. A power-sharing deal between his MDC party and Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF was signed last September, but got bogged down in increasingly bitter disputes.
Earlier in the week the MDC had appeared reluctant to endorse the power-sharing agreement. The new timetable was proposed by the Southern African Development Community.
The party said that the outcome of the latest summit fell "far short" of their expectations. "We are unequivocal, we will go into this government," MrTsvangirai was quoted by French news agency AFP as saying.
On Friday, Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF and the MDC agreed to set up a joint committee to monitor the power-sharing pact. "The SADC (Southern African Development Community) has decided and we are bound by that decision." The MDC had earlier said that the outcome of the latest SADC summit fell "far short" of its expectations.
The BBC's Southern Africa correspondent Peter Biles says that agreeing to the deal requires a leap of faith for the MDC, which has no trust in Mr Mugabe.
But the decision to commit itself was the only realistic option short of abandoning plans for a unity government, he says.
Joint committee
The wrangling over power-sharing has paralysed Zimbabwe's government for months.
Zimbabwe is suffering from rampant inflation, an escalating food crisis and an outbreak of cholera. SADC's POWER-SHARE TIMELINE 5 Feb: Zimbabwe to pass power-sharing constitutional amendment11 Feb: PM-designate Tsvangirai and his deputies to be sworn in13 Feb: Remaining ministers and their deputies to take office
Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF and the MDC also agreed on Friday to set up a joint committee to monitor the power-sharing pact.
The body is the first structure to be formed as a result of political agreement, according to South African mediator Sydney Mufamadi.The body is the first structure to be formed as a result of political agreement, according to South African mediator Sydney Mufamadi.
Correspondents say the move is a further sign that the political rivals may be close to implementing a power-sharing agreement. The move appeared to be a further sign that the political rivals might be close to implementing their power-sharing agreement, which was signed in September.
The wrangling over power-sharing has paralysed government for nearly a year. SADC's POWER-SHARE TIMELINE 5 Feb: Zimbabwe to pass power-sharing constitutional amendment11 Feb: PM-designate Tsvangirai and his deputies to be sworn in13 Feb: Remaining ministers and their deputies to take office The committee would deal with any breaches in the power-sharing deal and could also address concerns the MDC may have about the arrest of party members and activists.
Zimbabwe is suffering from an escalating food crisis and an outbreak of cholera.
South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, who chaired an emergency summit this week to get a deal, said the MDC was committed to a timeline agreed by the parties.South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, who chaired an emergency summit this week to get a deal, said the MDC was committed to a timeline agreed by the parties.
This would see MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister on February 11.This would see MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister on February 11.
The BBC's Southern Africa correspondent Peter Biles says its clear Mr Tsvangirai has come under a lot of pressure to agree to a deal that the MDC does not fully support. Our correspondent says it is clear Mr Tsvangirai has come under a lot of pressure to agree to a deal that the MDC does not fully support.