Report: Zimbabwe Parties Near Agreement
By VOA News
05 August 2008
A South African newspaper says Zimbabwe's ruling party and opposition are close to a power-sharing deal aimed at ending the country's political crisis.
The Star newspaper, citing unnamed sources close to the talks, says the agreement would make opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai executive prime minister. The paper says President Robert Mugabe would remain in office but assume a ceremonial role.
There has been no confirmation of the report from either party.
Zimbabwe's state-run Herald newspaper reports that the parties are expanding their negotiating teams after extending the talks on Monday. The paper quotes the ruling party's Information Minister Christopher Mutsvangwa as saying "the omen is good."
The talks in South Africa began two weeks ago after Mr. Mugabe was re-elected in a poll that the opposition and many international observers dismissed as a sham.
Tsvangirai pulled out of the June 29 runoff vote, citing what he said was a campaign of state-sponsored violence against his supporters.
The ruling ZANU-PF party has said that any agreement must recognize Mr. Mugabe's re-election.
The sides are under intense international pressure to reach an agreement so Zimbabwe can start recovering from its prolonged political and economic crisis.
The country suffers from 80 percent unemployment and an inflation rate officially pegged at 2.2 million percent.
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