Mugabe ‘agrees to formal talks with opposition’

BELEAGUERED Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has agreed to hold formal talks with the opposition, South Africa’s president said yesterday.

Mr Mbeki said he secured the commitment to begin talks during a one day visit to Harare last month when he met separately with Mr Mugabe and opposition leaders.

At the time, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said little headway had been made.

But Mr Mbeki said the only thing holding up the start of formal negotiations was the holiday period.

Mr Mbeki said his government has been “engaging both sides for a very long time”.

“I am happy to say that in the end they have agreed that they will now go into formal negotiations,” he said.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said South Africa has “not been as outspoken and as hard as one might have expected” with Zimbabwe.

“I made myself very clear as far as the unacceptability of that regime is concerned, especially the political practices of that regime,” Mr Schroeder said after a two-hour meeting with Mr Mbeki.

Mr Mbeki responded: “Strong statements cannot be an aim in itself.

“Our task is to see what we can contribute to make sure that situation is changed as quickly as possible for the better,” he said.

Government and opposition officials in Zimbabwe could not immediately be reached for comment.

Mr Mbeki’s policy of “quiet diplomacy” towards Zimbabwe has drawn domestic and international criticism.

Last month, he protested at a decision to prolong Zimbabwe’s suspension from the Commonwealth as undemocratic and unhelpful, while brushing off concerns about human rights abuses in the country.

Zimbabwe faces its worst political and economic crisis since independence in 1980, with soaring inflation and acute shortages of food, petrol and essential goods.

Mr Mugabe also has stepped up a crackdown on dissent, arresting opposition leaders and journalists.

The MDC remains convinced that negotiations will take place.

However, party secretary-general, Welshman Ncube, said they still doubted Mr Mugabe intentions.

“We have heard this sort of thing before. We remain sceptical. We will believe it when it happens,” said Ncube, who headed the opposition side in earlier failed government talks.