ZIMBABWE — HARARE – South Africa President Thabo Mbeki flies into Zimbabwe Friday to try and salvage talks between the Robert Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai that collapsed acrimoniously last weekend.

 

Mbeki, who will be accompanied by his negotiators Sydney Mufamadi, Frank Chikane and Mujanku Gumbi, will be expected in Harare earliest Thursday or Friday, for meetings with the principals of the major protagonists in the stalled power-sharing talks.

 

 

Negotiations to bring about a coalition government in Zimbabwe broke up last weekend after Mugabe refused to grant Tsvangirai powers to handpick a Cabinet and hire and fire ministers.

This is despite the fact Tsvangirai has agreed to have Mugabe remain commander-in-chief and head of State and also head of the National Security Council, or the new JOC.

The Mugabe government says giving Tsvangirai nominal powers as Prime Minister is the best deal he can get.

Getting powers to establish Cabinet or co-chair cabinet is pushing his luck too far, said a senior Zanu (PF) official.

The MDC leader says any hope of achieving a settlement depended on Mugabe being prepared to compromise.

"If Mr Mugabe cannot go with us on very small things like giving the Prime Minister powers of establishing Cabinet, we think he cannot be serious," Tsvangirai said.

 

He has said he will not be pressured to sign a deal that does not reflect the will of the people.

Mbeki flies into Harare amid mounting pressure to resolve the crisis and save the economy from further implosion.

The African Union chairman Jakaya Kikwete issued a statement yesterday saying only a 50-50 deal between Mugabe and Tsvangirai would be acceptable to the continental bloc.

Meanwhile Tsvangirai has embarked on a diplomatic offensive to rally African leaders to call Mugabe to order and avert his self destruct mood.

Mugabe was said to be keen to establish Cabinet early next week soon after talks with Mbeki have been officially declared collapsed.

The last round of talks that began last Friday were held in Pretoria. Mbeki and Mufamadi acted as mediators at the talks, our source said.

But after nine-and-a-half hours of separate discussions they were unable to find a compromise to save the negotiations.

Mugabe is now expected to employ tough new military measures against the MDC.

The MDC has already made it clear that it will make life extremely difficult for Mugabe if he chooses to go it alone, including refusing to approve the budget for his new Cabinet.

Mugabe is on the other hand trying to win support among "moderate" MDC leaders for a phased transition to a phantom unity government.

 

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