Three African leaders meet Mugabe in bid to end Zimbabwe crisis

THE leaders of South Africa, Nigeria and Malawi held talks with Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe yesterday, launching a new regional push to resolve the political and economic crisis engulfing the country.

Mr Mugabe who last month hinted he may be ready to retire after 23 years in power met privately with South African President Thabo Mbeki, Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo and Malawi's Bakili Muluzi at State House in Harare.

No aides were present at the two-hour meeting, called to discuss ways to restart political dialogue in a country brought to its knees by anti-government demonstrations, acute food and fuel shortages, and soaring unemployment.

The visiting leaders then went to a Harare hotel and met the head of Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Morgan Tsvangirai, who is on trial on charges of plotting to assassinate Mugabe. Mr Tsvangirai denies the charges.

South African officials said the one-day visit seeks to facilitate dialogue between Mr Mugabe and the MDC, which has accused the veteran leader of a harsh political crackdown following his victory in disputed presidential polls last year. But political analysts and South African media reports have said the talks may also explore hints that Mr Mugabe, 79, could be ready to step down as his country grapples with its worst crisis since independence from Britain in 1980.

Zimbabwe, once one of southern Africa's most prosperous countries, has seen its economy all but collapse with inflation hitting more than 200% and half the population of 14 million facing acute food shortages.

Mr Mugabe has blamed the meltdown on sabotage by western countries incensed over his policy of seizing white-owned farms for redistribution to landless blacks. Mr Mugabe last month said he was ready to meet Mr Tsvangirai if the opposition leader recognised his re-election a step which analysts say would allow him a face-saving retirement before the next presidential elections scheduled for 2008. While Mr Tsvangirai vowed to press on with a legal challenge to the results of last year's presidential polls, he yesterday said Mr Mugabe's willingness to talk could be the "light at the end of the tunnel" for Zimbabwe and hinted compromise was possible.

"If they want to talk, we are ready to talk. If they see the same national interest as we see it, I think there is hope for the country," he said.