Zimbabwe rival parties closer to fully fledged talks

ZIMBABWE’s rival parties have moved closer to a deal to allow fully fledged talks on the country’s crisis, state media said yesterday, after sanctions against Robert Mugabe’s regime were vetoed at the UN.

Following vetoes by China and Russia on the targeted measures at the UN Security Council, Zimbabwean state media reported negotiators from the opposition and ruling parties had tentatively agreed on terms for detailed talks.

“The working framework that has been agreed to so far removes the sticking points between the negotiating parties and paves way for serious talks,” the Sunday Mail newspaper said, citing what it called highly placed sources.