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Zimbabwe rivals to resume talks Zimbabwe rivals to resume talks
(about 4 hours later)
Zimbabwe's political parties will hold a new round of power-sharing talks in South Africa next week, the state-run Herald newspaper has reported.Zimbabwe's political parties will hold a new round of power-sharing talks in South Africa next week, the state-run Herald newspaper has reported.
President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai signed a deal to share power in September. The ruling and opposition parties are deadlocked over the allocation of posts in a unity administration.
But the government and opposition are deadlocked over the distribution of posts in a unity administration. Several rounds of talks have already failed as the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe worsens.
Meanwhile, the government denied a report that it was blocking a visit from former UN head Kofi Annan.Meanwhile, the government denied a report that it was blocking a visit from former UN head Kofi Annan.
The Herald, seen as a government mouthpiece, reports that the government was accusing a planned mission including Mr Annan of being "partisan". The Herald, seen as a mouthpiece for President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party, reported a government official as saying a planned mission including Mr Annan was biased.
Cholera outbreak
Mr Annan, former US President Jimmy Carter and human rights activist Nelson Mandela's wife Graca Machel said they wanted to assess humanitarian needs.Mr Annan, former US President Jimmy Carter and human rights activist Nelson Mandela's wife Graca Machel said they wanted to assess humanitarian needs.
The three international figures are part of a group called the Elders, set up to tackle world conflicts.The three international figures are part of a group called the Elders, set up to tackle world conflicts.
"The Elders wrote to government on the intended visit, but they have been advised that while it appreciates the humanitarian concern by the group, it was important for them to plan their visit on a date that is convenient and agreed to by both sides," an unnamed government source told The Herald. "The visit has been deemed a partisan mission by a group of people with partisan interests," an unnamed government source told The Herald.
The Herald said that next week's talks would be led by former South African President Thabo Mbeki, who has led mediation over Zimbabwe. Aid groups say Zimbabwe is facing a major humanitarian crisis. class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7726977.stm">Harare diary: New abductions class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7714892.stm">Death throes of Harare's hospitals
They expect that more than five million people, or nearly half the population, will need food aid by early next year.
The economy is in freefall, with inflation last listed in July, at 231,000,000%.
An outbreak of cholera is reported to have caused dozens of deaths and health services are in a state of collapse.
The Herald said that next week's talks would be led by former South African President Thabo Mbeki, who has overseen mediation on Zimbabwe's political crisis.
Zanu-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Morgan Tsvangirai agreed in September to share power - but not how to allocate cabinet posts.
The MDC resisted pressure from regional leaders earlier this month to join a unity government that they say is being dictated by Mr Mugabe.
The deadlock follows disputed presidential elections earlier this year.
Mr Tsvangirai won the first round in March, but not by enough to secure outright victory.
He then pulled out of a run-off in June, citing a campaign of violence against his supporters.