Mbeki takes over cabinet talks, no deal on first day

• Britain warns Mugabe over 'power grab'

• Mbeki in Zimbabwe to salvage power sharing deal

• Tsvangirai threatens to quit government

• Mugabe risks MDC fury by parcelling out ministries

• Mbeki to travel to Zim 'next week' - MDC

• Morgan Tsvangirai: Statement on the state of cabinet talks

• Tsvangirai calls in Mbeki to break deadlock

• Zanu PF says MDC jeopardising talks

• Zuma urges Zimbabwe parties to keep talking

• MDC wants urgent SADC intervention

• Leaders meet, fail to agree on Cabinet

• Zanu PF concedes finance ministry as cabinet hopes rise

• Zanu PF says claims of deadlock 'mischievous'

• Mbeki resignation hangs over Zim talks

• Mbeki called in as Tsvangirai, Mugabe deadlocked?

• Mugabe returns, says cabinet by end of the week

• Tsvangirai: We must respond to crisis with utmost urgency

• Cabinet deadlock 'surmountable' - Tsvangirai

• Misihairabwi: Cabinet talks on course

• Mugabe calls on West to lift 'demonic' sanctions

• Zim parties to agree on ministries 'within days'

• Mbeki still the point man in Zimbabwe - SADC

• Mbeki seen staying as Zimbabwe mediator

• Excerpts of Mutambara's speech at signing of power sharing deal

• Tsvangirai confident of rallying international support

• Copy of Zimbabwe power sharing document

• In Quotes: World reaction to power sharing deal

• Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara sign power sharing deal

Posted to the web: 14/10/2008 21:01:12
TALKS between Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara aimed at rescuing a power-sharing deal ended on Tuesday without agreement, but will resume on Wednesday, Tsvangirai said.

"There was no conclusion in the discussions. We will continue tomorrow at 10.30 (8.30 GMT)," Tsvangirai told reporters as he left a Harare hotel where the talks, mediated by former South African President Thabo Mbeki, were taking place.

Before the talks began, Mbeki's spokesman said he was confident he would be able to rescue the deal, which he brokered just before stepping down as president in September.

"We are convinced that we should be able in the end, no matter how long it takes, to reach a conclusion," said Mukoni Ratshitanga.

Entering the talks venue, Mutambara, leader of a smaller faction of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) whose party is set to command three cabinet posts in a 31-member cabinet told of his frustration at the process.

“The fact that we sitting here today, bickering over cabinet positions is a travesty of justice. Mutambara, Tsvangirai and Mugabe must shape up or ship out,” said the fiery former student leader.

Under a power sharing pact signed on September 15, Zanu PF should have 15 ministries and Tsvangirai's MDC 13 on top of the three for Mutambara.

Mugabe will remain President while Tsvangirai assumes the new post of Prime Minister, deputised by Mutambara and Thokozani Khupe.

Justice Minister and Zanu PF's chief negotiator in the power-sharing talks, Patrick Chinamasa, told the state-run Herald that he hoped Mbeki could offer new ideas.

"As far as we are concerned, the only contention is the Ministry of Finance," he said.

Mugabe last Friday angered the MDC by allocating the ministries for defence, home affairs – which oversees the police – and information to his Zanu PF party.

The allocation was fiercely challenged by the MDC, and attracted condemnation from British Foreign Minister David Milliband who accused Mugabe of leading a “power grab”.

On Tuesday, Zimbabwe's parliament began sitting for the first time since it was officially opened by Mugabe in August amid jeers and boos from MDC members.
Mugabe's party was stripped of a parliamentary majority for the first time since independence from Britain in 1980 after the March 29 elections.

Tsvangirai outpolled Mugabe in the presidential poll held concurrently. But he did not have enough ballots to avoid a June run-off poll, which was won by Mugabe and condemned around the world after it was boycotted by Tsvangirai.

Sharp differences were evident in parliament, with Zanu PF lawmakers praising Mugabe for agreeing to share power, while their MDC counterparts said they could walk away from the deal.

Riot police also broke up a demonstration staged by students outside the legislature. Witnesses saw at least three students bundled into a police van. A number of others were injured in a scuffle and had to be helped to a nearby clinic. Police did not comment.

"If we are genuine… we should share power equitably. It cannot be an inclusive government at any cost," said MDC lawmaker Sam Sipepa Nkomo. "We can't be swallowed and we should not allow ourselves to be lipstick on Zanu PF, a decoration."

Lawmakers are expected to prioritise a constitutional amendment allowing the creation of the prime minister's post and other provisions of the power sharing agreement.

Nelson Chamisa, an MDC spokesman, said he hoped Mbeki would break the cabinet impasse.

"We are still placing our faith in the efforts of the mediator, and that Zanu PF has to be persuaded that it has to share and not grab power," he said.

Analysts say that although the talks look doomed, the rivals are under pressure to reach a settlement, although some say Mbeki will have less leverage in Zimbabwe after being ousted as South African president by his own party last month.

A new government will have to tackle the world's highest inflation rate of 231 million percent and severe food, fuel and foreign currency shortages. - Staff Reporter/Reuters/AP
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