Published by the government of Zimbabwe
8 July 2008
Harare — INTER-PARTY talks between Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations will soon resume under the continued facilitation of South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki.
Cde Patrick Chinamasa, one of Zanu-PF's representatives in the talks, yesterday said he had received confirmation that both formations - one led by Arthur Mutambara and the other by Morgan Tsvangirai - were ready to return to the negotiating table. "We have received communication from both MDC Mutambara and MDC Tsvangirai that they are ready for a resumption of the inter-party talks. "The talks will resume sooner rather than later, but I obviously cannot tell you what is on the table or when or where we will be meeting as we do not want to negotiate in public.
The talks will be under the facilitation of President Mbeki," Cde Chinamasa said. Efforts to get comment from MDC-T were unsuccessful last night after spokesman Nelson Chamisa did not return calls as promised. However, Cde Chinamasa had earlier expressed dismay at Tsvangirai's initial decision to boycott the talks and for snubbing President Mbeki when he jetted into the country last Saturday where he met President Mugabe and Mutambara. "As Zanu-PF, we are disappointed that Tsvangirai, who requested for the meeting, did not turn up. His no-show shows that someone is dictating the pace for him," he said. This comes amid revelations that Tsvangirai had defied a resolution by his party by boycotting Saturday's inter-party talks held at Zimbabwe House in Harare.
The MDC-T national council met on Friday and made a number of resolutions that included the need for the party to engage Zanu-PF in dialogue aimed at ending Zimbabwe's current challenges. "The national council resolves that the party must engage in dialogue for the purpose of ensuring that we resolve the Zimbabwean crisis and bring in legitimacy and democracy to Zimbabwe," said Chamisa, in a statement listing the resolutions made at the meeting. However, yesterday Tsvangirai apparently decided to proceed with the inter-party talks under the facilitation of President Mbeki. MDC-T set some conditions for participating in the talks, among them the impartial and expeditious prosecution of all perpetrators of political violence. There has been discord in the MDC-T camp over the inter-party talks with Tsvangirai initially indicating that he was willing to engage Zanu-PF while the opposition party's secretary-general Tendai Biti condemned dialogue.
Last week Biti said prospects of dialogue between Zanu-PF and MDC-T were "totally and completely exterminated" by the June 27 presidential run-off that the opposition party boycotted. "It is now the firm view of the MDC that those who claim they have got a mandate to govern should govern. Chitongai tione," said Biti in a statement later dismissed by Chamisa as not reflecting the formation's position as it had been "overtaken by events". Saturday's talks were attended by President Mugabe, Vice President Joice Mujuru, the Zanu-PF negotiating team while from the MDC there was Arthur Mutambara, his secretary-general Welshman Ncube and deputy secretary-general Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga. President Mbeki chaired the talks.
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Zanu is the only party that has not conducted a peaceful election and is still perpetrating violence. MDC precondition for talks are a ceasation of violence, what is so difficult. If Mugabe locks up all MDC supporters he had better make Zimbabwe one big jail (it is almost that already) Oh in case you have not noted it is all of the G8 plus the Sec Gen of the UN that is calling for sanctions!
Since when were the murderous thugs at Zanu-pf interested in a peaceful resolution? You forget that the UN Security Council, with the involvement of Russia,China and South Africa passed a unanimous resolution blaming Zanu-pf for the violence that has torn Zimababwe apart.
Since when is it treason to try and remove an illegal and corrupt despot by calling for outside assistance? Mugabe and Zanu-pf are not one and the same as Zimbabwe. Mugabe and his apologists seem to believe that an attack on Mugabe is an attack on Zimbabwe. Nothing could be further from the truth. Mugabe is one man, an evil and corrupt one who has become besotted with power, but a man nevertheless. He and his cronies will sooner or later be gone and Zimbabwe will survive.
The Herald the official mouth piece of the Zimbabwean tyrant, Mugabe enjoys telling people lies. Why should the MDC engage in talks with a dictator who is killing his own people. Sanctions and even stiffer sunctions should be imposed and bring this illegitimate regime to its knees.Do you think by forcing himself to the people who rejected him, Mugabe should be recognised. Shame on you the Herald and all the ZANU pf murders your souls will rot in hell. Your time is up, this is just signs of the end of ZANU pf. The people will never forget the pain you have inflicked on them. The aging dictator has just a few years to live as he is the figure holding ZANU together. After he is gone all the perpetrators of violence, torture and murder will be brought to book including all those working at the Herald. Shame on you, you have brought our country to the lowest point ever in history for a country which is not at war. but at war with its own people. This is a result of greed, corruption, selfishness and idiocy. I wonder how you sleep at night because you have no conscience at all.Wether you like it or not this the end.
This article is pure lies, typical of the Herald. The truth is that the MDC has no intention of talking until its understandble conditons are met. See http://allafrica.com/stories/200807080924.html Further to these, Mugabe should enter these talks as the head of the ZANU PF and not the president of Zimbabe. For that is all he is right now.
If MDC is not ready for peaceful resolution and insists to call more sanction, I think Mugabe's government should not a treason charge and lock up all MDC who are working with US and UK and calling sanction. The bargaining chip for for Mugabe to stop sanction is locking them up and take a decisive stand free zimbabwe from foreign forces or die. You can not negotiate with sell outs and mercenaries within while US and UK are gearing up for war.