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Zimbabwe rivals holding key talks 'Last chance' for Zimbabwe deal
(about 2 hours later)
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai are holding talks seen as "make-or-break" to salvage a unity government. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai are holding talks which could be the last chance to salvage a unity government.
The two men are discussing a power-sharing agreement, stalled since September. The presidents of Mozambique and South Africa are also attending. A power-sharing pact signed four months ago has stalled and the presidents of Mozambique and South Africa are leading the efforts to save the deal.
Mr Mugabe says he will not make any more concessions until a unity government is formed. Mr Mugabe has warned there would be a "break" if the opposition does not accept the deal.
Mr Tsvangirai says he will not be bulldozed into an agreement. But Mr Tsvangirai has said he would not be "bulldozed" into an agreement.
Under September's deal, Mr Tsvangirai is to become prime minister while Mr Mugabe remains as president. Under September's deal, Mr Tsvangirai is to become prime minister while Mr Mugabe remains president.
It's hard to envisage how they find any middle-ground Knox ChitoyoZimbabwe analyst But the deal faltered after Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party accused Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF of trying to keep the most powerful ministries - including the one that controls the police - to itself. It's hard to envisage how they find any middle-ground Knox ChitoyoZimbabwe analyst But the deal faltered after Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) accused Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF of trying to keep the most powerful ministries.
The political deadlock has exacerbated the problems facing Zimbabweans, from a cholera epidemic and an economic meltdown to food shortages and the collapse of basic services such as health and education.The political deadlock has exacerbated the problems facing Zimbabweans, from a cholera epidemic and an economic meltdown to food shortages and the collapse of basic services such as health and education.
The MDC has also complained about the abduction of opposition and human rights activists by state security agents. 'D-Day'
'Pathetic' The state-run Herald newspaper has labelled the talks "D-Day".
Zimbabwean journalist Brian Hungwe - who is at the talks taking place in a luxury Harare hotel - says he has been told that Mr Tsvangirai presented a thick dossier of new conditions at the meeting, prompting an angry response from Mr Mugabe.Zimbabwean journalist Brian Hungwe - who is at the talks taking place in a luxury Harare hotel - says he has been told that Mr Tsvangirai presented a thick dossier of new conditions at the meeting, prompting an angry response from Mr Mugabe.
STATE OF ZIMBABWE Five million people - almost half population - need food aidCentral bank introduced Z$100tr note, worth about US$30 (£20)Unemployment more than 80%More than 2,200 people have died in cholera outbreak Crunch time for Zimbabwe? He says there is not much hope among Zimbabweans for great strides forward, given the political rivals' hard positions, and the mood is one of despair. STATE OF ZIMBABWE Five million people - almost half population - need food aidCentral bank introduced Z$100tr note, worth about US$30 (£20)Unemployment more than 80%More than 2,200 people have died in cholera outbreak Crunch time for Zimbabwe?
He says there is not much hope among Zimbabweans for great strides forward, given the political rivals' hard positions, and the mood is one of despair.
One man in Harare told him: "People's lives here have collapsed significantly. People can't afford food, school, transport. I want a revival of that.One man in Harare told him: "People's lives here have collapsed significantly. People can't afford food, school, transport. I want a revival of that.
"If those talks are not going to meet those minimum requirements then those talks are nonsense.""If those talks are not going to meet those minimum requirements then those talks are nonsense."
Another man said: "My desire would be to see these two guys coming together. We, as Zimbabweans, we are suffering... it's so pathetic. I look forward to a positive result."Another man said: "My desire would be to see these two guys coming together. We, as Zimbabweans, we are suffering... it's so pathetic. I look forward to a positive result."
Zimbabwe analyst Knox Chitoyo told the BBC's Network Africa programme that the two sides had lost all trust in each other.Zimbabwe analyst Knox Chitoyo told the BBC's Network Africa programme that the two sides had lost all trust in each other.
"It's hard to envisage how they find any middle-ground, said Mr Chitoyo, from the London-based Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)."It's hard to envisage how they find any middle-ground, said Mr Chitoyo, from the London-based Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
"One or other of them is going to have to climb down seriously.""One or other of them is going to have to climb down seriously."
'Finality''Finality'
Mr Mugabe told state media that the MDC must "accept" the deal at Monday's talks, "or it's a break". Mr Mugabe told state media Monday's talks were a last chance for the MDC to "accept" the deal, "or it's a break".
"If they have any issues they deem outstanding, they can raise them after they come into the inclusive government," he added."If they have any issues they deem outstanding, they can raise them after they come into the inclusive government," he added.
Mr Tsvangirai (C) has been out of Zimbabwe since November South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, his predecessor Thabo Mbeki and Mozambican leader Armando Emilio Guebuza are attending the talks to push for a breakthrough. Mr Tsvangirai (C) has been out of Zimbabwe since November
But Mr Mugabe said he had done everything required under the agreement and the time for talks was over. South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, his predecessor Thabo Mbeki and Mozambican leader Armando Emilio Guebuza are attending the talks to push for a breakthrough.
Also attending is Arthur Mutambara, the head of an MDC breakaway faction who is supposed to become deputy prime minister under the pact.
"Now is the time to find common ground among Zimbabweans. Now is the time for flexibility, compromise and pragmatism," Mr Mutambara told reporters at the venue.
On the eve of the meeting, Mr Mugabe said he had done everything required under the agreement and the time for talks was over.
"We have gone past negotiations and whatever concessions were there to be made have already been made," he said in the state-owned Sunday Mail."We have gone past negotiations and whatever concessions were there to be made have already been made," he said in the state-owned Sunday Mail.
"We have done all that SADC [Southern African Development Community] expected us to do and all that remains is fulfilling the agreement by forming an inclusive government.""We have done all that SADC [Southern African Development Community] expected us to do and all that remains is fulfilling the agreement by forming an inclusive government."
The clear implication is that if the MDC does not signal agreement now, Mr Mugabe will go ahead and form a government unilaterally, the BBC's Peter Biles in Johannesburg says.The clear implication is that if the MDC does not signal agreement now, Mr Mugabe will go ahead and form a government unilaterally, the BBC's Peter Biles in Johannesburg says.
The MDC was deciding how to proceed with outstanding issues, particularly what it called Zanu-PF's unchanged "mindset and attitude" about a smooth running unity government. The MDC wants a share of the security ministries, ambassadors and regional governors.
Under the deal, it has 13 ministries to 15 for Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF but under the existing proposals, Zanu-PF would hold national security and defence, while home affairs, which runs the police, would be shared.
Spokesman Nelson Chamisa told AFP news agency: "There has to be finality to the dialogue process - either in failure or in success."Spokesman Nelson Chamisa told AFP news agency: "There has to be finality to the dialogue process - either in failure or in success."
The MDC has also demanded an end to the abduction of opposition and human rights activists by state security agents.
Mr Tsvangirai arrived back in Zimbabwe on Saturday after an absence of more than two months, telling reporters his party would not be "bulldozed" into any deal not reflecting the will of the people.Mr Tsvangirai arrived back in Zimbabwe on Saturday after an absence of more than two months, telling reporters his party would not be "bulldozed" into any deal not reflecting the will of the people.
Mr Tsvangirai gained the most votes in elections last March but not enough for outright victory.Mr Tsvangirai gained the most votes in elections last March but not enough for outright victory.
He pulled out of a run-off in June against Mr Mugabe, citing a campaign of violence against opposition supporters.He pulled out of a run-off in June against Mr Mugabe, citing a campaign of violence against opposition supporters.