Zimbabwe Parties Study Proposals for Ending Political Stalemate
Posted 9th September 2008 at 11:14 PM by NewsTracker
President Robert Mugabe's ruling party and both factions of the Movement for Democratic Change are studying proposals aimed at ending a political stalemate in Zimbabwe, all parties said today.
``Right now negotiators are studying the proposals, working flat out and deliberating on the options,'' Nelson Chamisa, a spokesman for the Morgan Tsvangirai-led faction of the MDC, said in a telephone interview from Zimbabwe's capital Harare today. ``We don't know precisely when we'll reconvene for negotiations or when we will have a tangible result,'' he added.
South African President Thabo Mbeki flew to Harare yesterday to resume talks between Zimbabwe's political leaders. The negotiations stalled last month over the division of executive powers.
Tsvangirai won a March 29 presidential election, though without the 50 percent vote needed to avoid a runoff, and is seeking control over Zimbabwe's cabinet and government. The 56- year-old MDC leader says Mugabe can remain as ceremonial head of state.
Edwin Mushoriwa, spokesman for the smaller Arthur Mutambara-led faction of the MDC, said today that Mbeki had brought no new proposals to the table yesterday.
``The documents brought by President Mbeki contained the same unsigned agreements which party leaders declined to sign last month,'' Mushoriwa said from Harare.
Mbeki has been appointed by the Southern African Development Community to mediate between Mugabe, Mutambara and Tsvangirai.
Tsvangirai's party won 100 seats in Zimbabwe's National Assembly in March, while Mugabe's Zanu-PF won 99 and Mutambara's MDC faction won 10.
Prolonged negotiations between the sparring political parties have done nothing to ease Zimbabwe's 10-year economic crisis. The rate of inflation is estimated officially at over 11 million percent, while local banks put it at closer to 50 million percent.
``Right now negotiators are studying the proposals, working flat out and deliberating on the options,'' Nelson Chamisa, a spokesman for the Morgan Tsvangirai-led faction of the MDC, said in a telephone interview from Zimbabwe's capital Harare today. ``We don't know precisely when we'll reconvene for negotiations or when we will have a tangible result,'' he added.
South African President Thabo Mbeki flew to Harare yesterday to resume talks between Zimbabwe's political leaders. The negotiations stalled last month over the division of executive powers.
Tsvangirai won a March 29 presidential election, though without the 50 percent vote needed to avoid a runoff, and is seeking control over Zimbabwe's cabinet and government. The 56- year-old MDC leader says Mugabe can remain as ceremonial head of state.
Edwin Mushoriwa, spokesman for the smaller Arthur Mutambara-led faction of the MDC, said today that Mbeki had brought no new proposals to the table yesterday.
``The documents brought by President Mbeki contained the same unsigned agreements which party leaders declined to sign last month,'' Mushoriwa said from Harare.
Mbeki has been appointed by the Southern African Development Community to mediate between Mugabe, Mutambara and Tsvangirai.
Tsvangirai's party won 100 seats in Zimbabwe's National Assembly in March, while Mugabe's Zanu-PF won 99 and Mutambara's MDC faction won 10.
Prolonged negotiations between the sparring political parties have done nothing to ease Zimbabwe's 10-year economic crisis. The rate of inflation is estimated officially at over 11 million percent, while local banks put it at closer to 50 million percent.
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