Why does Mugabe want to negotiate with the MDC anyway? As far as he is concerned the MDC is but a puppet of the west. He also believes that his overwhelming majority in the run off (sham) election gives him the mandate to rule as he pleases. So why does he care what the MDC thinks? Why does he even want to be associated with a perceived puppet of the west that only wants to recolonise Zimbabwe and take its resources?(as he sees it). You dont see other policital parties around the world winning, then negotiating with the party they defeated to give them some power to form a government. So why does Mugabe now want to give some of his power to the MDC, ie the puppet of the west?

TSVANGIRAI STAND YOUR GROUND AND DON'T SHAKE OR MOVE WHEN THEY BULLY YOU FROM DIFFERENT CORNERS. THEY ARE TRYING TO BREAK THE BACK OF DEMOCRACY TO BECOME LAWLESS TUGS/DICTATORS AND BRUTS.

YOU MUST HAVE A HIGHLEVEL AU ENVOY ON YOUR NEGOTIATION TEAM COZ MBEKI WILL RAILROAD YOU TO HELL SINCE HE WANTS MUGABE TO STAY IN POWER AND DO WHAT IS GOOD IN HIS EGOTISTICAL INTEREST AND NOT IN THE INTEREST OF THE ZIMBABWEN PEOPLE. DONT SIGN NO CRAPPY INTER-PARTY AGREEMENT BECAUSE YOU WILL BE SIGNING AWAY DEMOCRACY FOR THE AFRICAN CONTINENT AND THIS WILL MEAN DEATH FOR OUR PEOPLE AND A LICENSE FOR ALL INCUMBANT PRESIDENTS TO RIG ELECTIONS AND USE THE IRON FIST, WEAPONRY, TORTURE AND BRUTALITY TO CONTINUE RULING BY FORCE.

Mugabe is an idiot,thug & murderer. He does not represent the people of Zimbabwe, his party is bankrupt of ideas, has nothing to offer to the people of zimbabwe and only wants to use MDC to legitimise is illegal (sham) presidence. Therefore MDC must be very careful not to fall prey to Mbeki and Mugabe's trap. I strongly believe MDC's demands for violence to stop, political prisoner released, resumption of relief aid and etc, are very minimal demands and if Mbeki and Mugabe can't meet those, why negotiate.

Why is Mbeki desperately refusing a second AU envoy to Zimbabwe? Why? There is a hidden agenda in Mbeki's mediation and the people of Zimbabwe feel betrayed by him. We don't know why he is he us denying us the democratic rights his people are enjoying in South Africa by trying to impose on us a murderer. The people of Zimbabwe voted for change, why is he denying them that.

To Mr Tsvangirai and the MDC party, please don't sellout to Mbeki's delusions, more than 120 lives have been sacrificed to get you to where you are today. The people of Zimbabwe voted for you. So take you time. I don't see the reason why MDC should be negotiating with murderers and misfits like Mugabe with a traitor Mbeki as mediator. The sooner they get ride of Mbeki the better. Long live MDC, pasi neZanu naMugabe.

One month after Mugabe is sworn in. Tsvangirai is still boycotting every national agenda and it is foolish to call him a hero. What has he archived? Mugabe is ruling and all negative imagination about Mugabe failing to rule has been there for a decade now. It is clear that Tsvangirai’s power of attention is in rebelling. Least can we call a rebellious character progressive.

surely by negotiating without effective mediation would not really be classed as 'negotiation' would it. I think Mugabe and Mbeki would quite happily tell the MDC to push off if it wasnt for international pressure. Mbeki is clearly not impartial, and everyone knows it. Just like everyone knows that Mugabe does not have the will of the people behind him.

Awt.ind, Mugabe has 43% of the electorate on first election run and a huge parliamentary representation. The inclusion of foreigners does not make negotiations effective but the negotiated subject matter. It is true that Mugabe does not need MDC in his gvt neither the MDC need Mugabe but the electoral dictates and world bodies advised for a negotiated settlement. Impartiality is not what is required here but facts and ideals, ZANU and MDC have to agree on facts and they are not in a Mbeki classroom who calls the shorts. Mbeki is conveyor but has no power to dictate to the neither MDC nor Zanu. The two teams from ZANU and MDC must rise to the occasion and impress the electorate by bringing up progressive ideas.

Onesoul, unfortunately progressive ideas have not been forthcoming from ZANU PF over the Independence years so far, and this has been one of the major problems that has never been overcome, and will never be overcome until Mugabe and ZANU PF stop looking at the past and blaming every one of their failures on what they claim is the enemy.

All parties involved need to be prepared to take responsibility for their actions, and for this sort of accord to work, impartiality is going to be a key factor. Mugabe has blamed every ZANU PF policy failure and consequence on the west, all having a GNU in place without the proper agreements witnessed by impartial parties would serve to do is give him a scapegoat closer to home to blame.

Also, with the delays on the first run election on the release of results, the 43% electorate figure is suspect ..... I personally say get an AU/SADC bolstered mediation team in, at least that way the talks would get underway and something might actually be sorted out in our lifetimes.

onesoul...Care to tell us how much of the vote morgan had before mugabe refused to concede defeat??? I think you will find it was/is more than the 43% you boast mugabe now has...and that was in a one horse race..one would have thought he would poll 100%! They lost the rigging machine perhaps???

Onesoulzim, I must take it that you have lost touch with events in Zim. The delay in announcing the March results makes them suspect. So as we may agree to the 43% for Bob surely 47% is more than Mugabe's. If we agree that the June run off was not supported by the electrolate freely and willingly then ZANU and MDC should negotiate from the March election results position. No out right winner and also no President. They need each other period. Mbeki would not want Mugabe to go NOW since he Mbeki has no protecter in the SADC now that he lost in SA. He knows his last days need some big brother to tone down the new ruling ANC. Mbeki is an interested party in the talks. Imagine a SADC free of BOB, MBEKI, and all the like minded dictators it begins with you.

onesoulzim1.It is actually Morgan that has the more parliamentary representation not mugabe! mugabe and regime are trying to change this by killing or arresting MDC parliamentary representatives. Presidential, Morgan got more than mugabe in the election.So on both the MDC won the peoples voice.In no way shape or for was the run off the peoples choice.If i stuck a gun in you mouth i am sure you would say what ever i wanted you to say, this is exactly what mugabe and regime did.

"That it is permissible to do EVIL that GOOD may come" Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). I, being an old Jesuit boy, have always upheld this truth and, indeed, all civilisations were built on this truth ... 'ignem mitite in terram'. Let Zimbabwe go free like England.

Zimonesoul, you seem to be far away from understanding the important requirements of a "negotiation". Impatrtiallity is one of the pillars and characteristics of a negotiator/mediator which in this case Mbeki is lacking or is being economic with. No matter the facts presented, the mediator's position (impartial/partial)is of paramount importance.

On the issue of Tsvangirai not being a hero, that dependends on your understanding of the word "hero", what it takes for one to be classified as a hero and the where you choose your heroes from. Not giving many examples why he qualifies to be a hero, may i point it out to you that he has led an opposition that had and is upsetting and giving torrid times to your ZANU PF party longer than any other opposition parties since independence. Salute him for that because even Chihuri recogns that fact.

President Mbeki, please wake up!

Your impartiality is being challenged in public. Hence the call for an AU co-opted mediator to accompany you. What's wrong with that?

Please do not act like blood-stained illegitimate President Mugabe who believes that God only can remove him from power!

Pre-conditions ranging from release from detention of over 500 MDC supporters and an end to violence before talks could be given a new lease of life are JUST VERY BASIC demands. Because you are unable to pressurize the maverick Mugabe to accept such pre-conditions is another argument to bring in the AU mediator as well.

May be we should also ask for the Commissioner of Police and the cheifs of the various military branches to, who are implementing the Mugabe's policy of continued killings, maiming and rape, should also be asked to step down.

Tsvangirai should not relent until Mugabe meets all his demands. Why has Tsvangirai suddenly become important to Mugabe since he 'won' the election? To Tsvangirai, I say if Mugabe wants to rule Zimbabwe let him rule it; your chance to lead Zimbabwe shall come, God willing.

You talk as if ZANU PF has anything to lose. With the current situation ZANU PF can form a Gvmt it is actually the MDC who pushed for the talks and its unfortunate that the thick headed MDC leader is taking everyone for a ride. He has everything to lose. What he is forgetting is that according to his party's constitution it is his last term as president. The president should just anounce his cabinet and let life go on. Tsvangirai is holding every Zimbabwean at runsom for his personal benefits to hell with him.

You say 'according to his party's constitution it is his last term as president' as if ZANU members have ever had any respect for the constitution except on the occasions when it suited them.

With the way the previous attempts at reaching agreements have gone, I cannot blame Tsvangirai for wanting the talks to be held under further supervision.

What the real question should be here is 'What do Mbeki and Mugabe have to lose by allowing an AU mediator to join the team?'

Nothing ..... unless of course there is something going on that either one of them does not want to go any further than themselves.

By now everybody around the world who has any modicum of knowledge about the Zimbabwean debacle knows that Mbeki favors his pal Mugabe to stay in power no matter what. For somebody who has just lost the Presidency of the ANC to Zuma, Mugabe's "win" would be a win for Mbeki too. Mbeki, if he had any shame, should long have recused himself from this socalled negotiated settlement which is not only tantamount to rewarding criminality but is also an act of daylight robbery perpetrated by politicians. Tsvangirai should stick to his "guns" until he assumes the presidency that he legimately won.

I wondow way we say china and rusia because china have some intrests in zimbabwe, china sponsers arms to sudan an african country with president who only think for himself like mugabe. do you understand what is happening mbeki wants war in southafrica and he is far to behind from politics he does not smell death or see death, if tswangirai is playing mbeki way is mbeki not giving up way does he not come open and tell mdc that its not going to rule the country mbeki way dont you think and want to be used by mugabe you said zimbabwe have to solve its own problem but you sit shoulder to shoulder with china, zim dont need china if you were with zimbabwe poeple at heart you should have given up you dont see whats coming your way mbeki very soon china will be inporting human borns because it support war to countris on embgo