Zimbabwe power-sharing talks hit deadlock

Zimbabwe power-sharing talks hit deadlock

HARARE, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's power-sharing talks, centered on the allocation of ministries in an all inclusive government, collapsed on Friday and were referred to the Southern African Development Community (SADC), according to New Zinana on Saturday.

The SADC and the African Union are joint guarantors of a draft power-sharing deal signed last month by the government and opposition to form an all inclusive government.

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki, the mediator in the talks, told reporters the SADC Organ on Politics, Defense and Security was expected to meet in Swaziland on Monday to deliberate on the stalled power-sharing deal in Zimbabwe.

"We are meeting with the Troika of the SADC Organ on Politics in Mbabane in Swaziland and because we are meeting, they want to hear a report about how far the negotiations have gone," he said. "The negotiations are continuing so all the Zimbabwean principals will be there and we will be there and give this report and discuss the matter in the SADC."

Mbeki, however, denied that the parties had reached a deadlock, saying the negotiations were continuing and the Zimbabwean principals would be afforded (a chance) to argue their cases at the Troika meeting.

He said in his view, the differences between the parties were minor, and could be easily overcome with time. "They are not very difficult," he said.

Mbeki noted that the SADC Troika was keen to see the issue of formation of an inclusive government in Zimbabwe resolved as a matter of urgency.

Mbkei also stressed the leaders of the three political parties involved in the negotiations had expressed commitment to the agreement they signed on September 15 to form an inclusive government as well as to speedily resolve negotiations on outstanding issues, adding they had an obligation to ensure the process did not collapse.

"In fact they did make a determination not to walk out despite their differences and to work hard and continue to sort out problems affecting the country," he said.

Earlier, Zimbabwean President Mugabe had told reporters the negotiations had "gone on very well but in the wrong direction". He refused to comment further on the talks saying the facilitator would do so.

But MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai organized an impromptu press conference to comment on the status of the talks. He said the negotiations had reached a deadlock on the key issue of allocation of ministerial portfolios and therefore had not proceeded to discuss the other two sticking issues, namely discrepancies in the agreements signed on September 11 and 15 and equitable distribution of Provincial Governor posts.

"We believe that for an inclusive government to work, the spirit of equitable sharing of power consistent with the spirit of the agreement signed on September 15 should be embraced," he said. "It appears we are far apart on this principle."

Tsvangirai said his party was concerned that there was an attempt to reduce it to a meaningless position in the coalition government, adding it had always believed that any responsibility should be accompanied by the requisite authority. He said proposals presented, published and gazetted by one party, Zanu-PF were not equitable and therefore not acceptable to his party.

Tsvangirai, however, said his party remained committed to the agreement the three parties signed to resolve the political impasse in the country.

Splinter MDC leader Arthur Mutambara lamented the deadlock over allocation of ministries, which he said would not have happened if the leaders had put the country first before partisan and personal interests. "It is a travesty of justice that out of four days the three Zimbabwean leaders failed to resolve this frivolous issue," he said. "Now we are going to the SADC like children to get instructions on how to run our country."

Mutambara revealed that out of the 31 ministries under discussion, 29 had been agreed on, while of the remaining two, it had been agreed that Finance goes to the MDC-T while major debate had gone on over Home Affairs.

He said following intense debate, it had been resolved that Home Affairs be rotated every six months between the two parties.

Disagreement, however, emerged over who would be the first to run the Ministry, with the MDC-T insisting that it should, he said.

Mutambara expressed confidence that the three leaders would accept the determination of the SADC Troika and return home to commence the business of turning around the economic fortunes of the country.

The SADC appointed Mbeki to mediate in Zimbabwe.