Africa
Zim: Can This Be It?
By Fiona Forde and Angela Quintal, IOL 19/7/08
Jul 20, 2008 - 6:12:21 AM

Morgan Tsvangirai has agreed to enter power sharing talks with Robert Mugabe, saying Zimbabweans have suffered enough and it is time for that country's crisis to come to an end. This was the upshot of Friday's decision by President Thabo Mbeki, who is mediating between the various Zimbabwean parties, to appoint a reference group to assist in negotiations. Independent Newspapers understands that power-sharing talks could begin as early as next week. The breakthrough comes as SADC foreign, defence and security ministers were warned in Durban on Friday, that the region's unity and peace, was being threatened by member states' differences over Zimbabwe. Reached for comment on Friday night, Tsvangirai, the leader of the majority faction in the Movement for Democratic Change, said: "I think we do have to co-operate with the group and expedite the second phase which is to start substantive negotiations." "I am advised that the reference group with Mbeki is coming to Harare on Monday to sign the memorandum of understanding and we will obviously sign as well. It is a positive step and we look forward to finding the solution we were looking for. Zimbabweans had suffered enough and its time for this (the crisis) to come to an end."

The three man group, comprising special representatives from the African Union, the United Nations, and SADC, was agreed upon on Friday at a meeting attended by Mbeki, AU Commisioner Dr Jean Ping, UN envoy Haile Menkerios and Angola's deputy foreign minister George Chikote, as well as the South African facilitators. Speaking on their behalf, Minister Sydney Mufumadi, described the group as a "support mechanism". He said Mbeki had "invited" the three men "to constitute a reference group which will interact with the mediator on an ongoing basis in order to ensure that we get through the mediator systematic support to continue with the process of executing the task given to him by the SADC". Tsvangirai has previously resisted entering into power sharing talks, demanding that a second mediator be appointed to assist Mbeki, whom he believes is not impartial. Mufamadi said "we think it is important for the facilitators to have the benefit of such input". He said the group would be kept informed on an ongoing basis at a strategic level and he said they would appoint people on the ground in the country wherever the negotiations take place and that those appointees would get "briefings on a daily basis from the facilitation team". UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon had accepted the move. Speaking on his behalf, Menkerios said the UN security council had supported Mbeki and SADC's efforts and that this new reference group allowed this support "to find expression".

Angolan foreign minister Dr Joao Bernardo de Miranda on Friday told his regional colleagues in Durban that regional differences over Zimbabwe could threaten peace and unity. Among those who have been openly critical of Mugabe, include Levy Mwanawasa and Botswana's President Ian Khama, as opposed to the Zimbabwean leader's traditional allies such as Angolan president Eduardo dos Santos. Miranda, who chairs the SADC organ on politics, peace and security, was speaking at the opening of its ministerial committee meeting, and warned that the region was faced with an "unprecedented situation". The organ is the body that mandated Mbeki to become the Zimbabwean mediator. The Durban meeting was delayed by more than four hours to allow Mbeki's talks in Pretoria to set up the reference group to conclude. Speaking in Portuguese, which was translated into English and French, Miranda referred to the "many interpretations" about last month's Zimbabwean presidential run-off election. "As a result the unity and cohesion of SADC is somehow fragilised (sic). Such a fact... is a very dangerous precedent, a very worrying situation because in fact it touches on the fundamental principles of our organisation and which could constitute an obstacle to regional peace."

He warned that it could also scupper the implementation of steps already taken for political integration, as well as social and economic integration of our region. "The situation in Zimbabwe is regrettably very complex, but should lead us to a deep analysis about the principles provided in the Treaty of SADC, in order to preserve our unity, as well as safeguard our gains," Miranda said. He told the minister present that it was their duty to defend and fight for the organisaiton?s unity, irrespective of "the political positions that we feel or even religious convictions which characterize our region". Solidarity had always been the pillar of SADC's unity, Miranda said. Sapa reports that a small group of Zimbabweans staged a protest near Durban's International Convention Centre where the organ's meeting was taking place. The small group held up a number of posters, including a banner which read: "A Brave Africa can Save Zimbabwe." All the protesters were wearing white shirts splattered with red ink.

Source: Ocnus.net 2008