MDC, Zanu-PF agree to talk

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s longtime president and his bitter opposition foe met yesterday – for the first time in a decade – to sign an agreement paving the way for immediate talks on resolving the country’s protracted political crisis.

President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai signed the breakthrough deal committing both sides to creating a “genuine viable, permanent and sustainable solution” within two weeks. The talks will begin Thursday in Pretoria, the South African capital, according to an opposition official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.The deal – which comes nearly three months after Zimbabwe’s disputed March presidential election – also calls for preventing violence, a new constitution and restoring an economy shattered by Mugabe’s government policies.There was no mention in the framework of sharing power.The leaders called it an important first step toward resolving a standoff that has plunged a country already suffering economically into a deadly political crisis.More than 120 people have been killed, thousands injured and tens of thousands forced from their homes, rights groups say.Mugabe said the framework will “chart a new way” for the troubled country.But the longtime leader, who in the past accused Tsvangirai of being a puppet controlled by the West, urged negotiators to resist influence from Europe and the United States.He called on all involved to be “masters of our own destiny.”A jubilant Tsvangirai, beaming as he signed the deal, pledged that he will be “putting the interests of Zimbabwe at the forefront.”The deal brokered by South African President Thabo Mbeki comes amid mounting international pressure on Mugabe, who opposition leaders and rights groups accuse of masterminding a campaign of state-sponsored election violence.Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, garnered the most votes in the March election – buoyed by Zimbabweans frustrated by government policies that have left shop shelves bare of basic goods – but not enough to win outright.As elections officials stalled on setting a date for the run-off, the opposition and rights activists say the ruling ZANU-PF party embarked on a campaign of intimidation to ensure the increasingly autocratic leader’s victory.Tsvangirai eventually pulled out of the run-off, citing the deadly political violence against his supporters.Mugabe declared victory following the one-man rerun June 27.With tensions mounting, observers and analysts earlier said a coalition government, perhaps with Mugabe as president and Tsvangirai as prime minister or vice president, was the only way to lead the nation out of the impasse.Mugabe’s party had said it is open to a power-sharing deal, but only if Mugabe heads any unity government.The opposition earlier said it is open to a “government of national healing” – but only one with moderate ruling party members, not Mugabe.The deal is a diplomatic coup for Mbeki, who has insisted that dialogue – and not punitive sanctions – is the only way to deal with Mugabe, the former independence hero revered in much of Africa for leading the seven-year bush war to oust the white-minority government ruling the former British colony.Mugabe, 84, has been in power since his country won independence in 1980.But in recent years, government policies have plunged the one-time regional breadbasket into an economic free fall.For Mugabe and Tsvangirai, the signing ceremony was a rare meeting between the two long-time foes.They crossed paths “for the first and last time” at a 1998 Workers’ Day rally when Tsvangirai was secretary-general of Zimbabwe’s trade union federation, said George Sibotshiwe, a spokesman for Tsvangirai’s party.Tsvangirai, 56, became leader of the MDC in 1999.Nampa-APThe talks will begin Thursday in Pretoria, the South African capital, according to an opposition official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.The deal – which comes nearly three months after Zimbabwe’s disputed March presidential election – also calls for preventing violence, a new constitution and restoring an economy shattered by Mugabe’s government policies.There was no mention in the framework of sharing power.The leaders called it an important first step toward resolving a standoff that has plunged a country already suffering economically into a deadly political crisis.More than 120 people have been killed, thousands injured and tens of thousands forced from their homes, rights groups say. Mugabe said the framework will “chart a new way” for the troubled country.But the longtime leader, who in the past accused Tsvangirai of being a puppet controlled by the West, urged negotiators to resist influence from Europe and the United States.He called on all involved to be “masters of our own destiny.”A jubilant Tsvangirai, beaming as he signed the deal, pledged that he will be “putting the interests of Zimbabwe at the forefront.”The deal brokered by South African President Thabo Mbeki comes amid mounting international pressure on Mugabe, who opposition leaders and rights groups accuse of masterminding a campaign of state-sponsored election violence.Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, garnered the most votes in the March election – buoyed by Zimbabweans frustrated by government policies that have left shop shelves bare of basic goods – but not enough to win outright.As elections officials stalled on setting a date for the run-off, the opposition and rights activists say the ruling ZANU-PF party embarked on a campaign of intimidation to ensure the increasingly autocratic leader’s victory.Tsvangirai eventually pulled out of the run-off, citing the deadly political violence against his supporters.Mugabe declared victory following the one-man rerun June 27.With tensions mounting, observers and analysts earlier said a coalition government, perhaps with Mugabe as president and Tsvangirai as prime minister or vice president, was the only way to lead the nation out of the impasse.Mugabe’s party had said it is open to a power-sharing deal, but only if Mugabe heads any unity government.The opposition earlier said it is open to a “government of national healing” – but only one with moderate ruling party members, not Mugabe.The deal is a diplomatic coup for Mbeki, who has insisted that dialogue – and not punitive sanctions – is the only way to deal with Mugabe, the former independence hero revered in much of Africa for leading the seven-year bush war to oust the white-minority government ruling the former British colony.Mugabe, 84, has been in power since his country won independence in 1980.But in recent years, government policies have plunged the one-time regional breadbasket into an economic free fall.For Mugabe and Tsvangirai, the signing ceremony was a rare meeting between the two long-time foes.They crossed paths “for the first and last time” at a 1998 Workers’ Day rally when Tsvangirai was secretary-general of Zimbabwe’s trade union federation, said George Sibotshiwe, a spokesman for Tsvangirai’s party.Tsvangirai, 56, became leader of the MDC in 1999.Nampa-AP