State media: Mugabe to stay as Zimbabwe president

Reports from southern Africa suggest a breakthrough has been reached in peace talks over Zimbabwe that would allow Robert Mugabe to remain as president.

State media reported that Mr Mugabe and the opposition had reached a “common position” after talks in Harare brokered by South African president Thabo Mbeki.

Mr Mbeki organised talks between Mr Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai after a contested election in March triggered waves of violence across the country, and led to both Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai claiming to be the country’s legitimate leader.

Reporters saw Mr Mbeki and Mr Tsvangirai head into private talks first at a Harare hotel. After that meeting, which lasted about an hour and a half, Mr Mbeki and Mr Mugabe held talks.

Mr Mbeki also was expected to meet Arthur Mutambara, leader of a smaller, breakaway opposition group.

The Sunday Mail, a government mouthpiece, reported a major obstacle had been cleared, saying “a common position” had been reached that would allow Mr Mugabe to remain president. But opposition officials, citing a news blackout Mr Mbeki has imposed, refused to confirm or deny the Mail report.

Zimbabwe’s current political crisis began after presidential elections in March. Mr Tsvangirai won the first round, but then withdrew from the run-off against Mr Mugabe because of government-sponsored attacks on his supporters.

Mr Tsvangirai has said while he could work with moderates in the president’s party, he will not share power with Mr Mugabe.

Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai met face-to-face for the first time in a decade after they signed a memorandum of understanding July 21, which set a framework for meetings between Mr Mugabe’s ZANU-PF and the two groupings of the Movement for Democratic Change.

The talks broke down July 28, with officials saying the problem was Mr Mugabe’s insistence that he be the president of any new government. But talks resumed a week ago, and within days produced an indication that both sides were determined to work together toward a solution: both Mr Mugabe’s ruling party and the opposition issued their first joint communique condemning the country’s political violence.

A possible compromise could involve Mr Mugabe being named a largely ceremonial president, with few powers but with immunity from prosecution for his alleged human rights abuses.

Mr Mbeki has demanded a news blackout on the talks, which have chiefly involved top deputies of the party leaders and been held at an undisclosed location in the South African capital of Johannesburg.

Mr Mbeki is under pressure to show results before hosting a summit this weekend of the Southern African Development Community, the body that appointed him as mediator.