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Zimbabwe rival agrees unity plan Zimbabwe rival to enter coalition
(about 1 hour later)
Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said his party will join a unity government with President Robert Mugabe next month. Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said his party will join a unity government with President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF next month.
The deal, proposed by Southern African leaders, would see Mr Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister on 11 February.The deal, proposed by Southern African leaders, would see Mr Tsvangirai sworn in as prime minister on 11 February.
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. A power-sharing accord between his MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) and Zanu-PF was signed last September, but got mired in ever more bitter disputes.
The new timetable was proposed by the Southern African Development Community. Zimbabwe is enduring rampant inflation and an escalating food crisis.
"We are unequivocal, we will go into this government," MrTsvangirai was quoted by French news agency AFP as saying. Meanwhile the World Health Organization (WHO) says an outbreak of cholera, fuelled by the collapse of infrastructure, has now infected 60,000 people and killed more than 3,000.
"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. Donors have said they would only provide aid once a unity government is in place.
Leap of faith
The new timetable was proposed by the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
We are happy that for the first time they have now recognised themselves as Zimbabweans Paul MangwanaInformation minister Zimbabwe cholera cases top 60,000Zimbabwe deal: Key points "We are unequivocal, we will go into this government," Mr Tsvangirai was quoted by French news agency AFP as saying.
"The SADC has decided and we are bound by that decision."
Mr Mugabe's supporters welcomed the decision.
"We are happy that for the first time they have now recognised themselves as Zimbabweans and we are happy that they are shifting from external influence and have started to reason like Zimbabweans," said Information Minister Paul Mangwana.
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.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.But the decision to commit itself was the only realistic option short of abandoning plans for a unity government, he says.
The disagreements centred on how the most powerful cabinet posts were to be shared out, and on the MDC's insistence that attacks on its members should stop.
Observers say the MDC now appears to have adopted a strategy proposed by SADC leaders that it should first enter the government and then resolve outstanding issues.
Joint committeeJoint committee
The wrangling over power-sharing has paralysed Zimbabwe's government for months.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 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.
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.
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 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.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.
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. "...[Mr Tsvangirai] is going to be chairing cabinet and also sitting in the national security council...," he said.
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. "We believe that this is a transitional authority essentially and its primary task is to achieve stability and the economic recovery of that country."