Harare — Negotiators to the Global Political Agree-ment are now set to meet today after failing to beat the 15-day deadline set by the Sadc Troika to resolve outstanding issues.

The Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation met in Maputo early this month and directed that discussions be held within 15 days to resolve issues raised by the three parties.

It said the discussions should not exceed 30 days from November 5, the day the Troika met.

In an interview with The Herald, MDC secretary-general Professor Welshman Ncube and MDC-T spokesperson Mr Nelson Chamisa confirmed that today had been set as the provisional date for the meeting.

Efforts to get a comment from Zanu-PF negotiators Cdes Patrick Chinamasa and Nicholas Goche were fruitless yesterday.

However, Cde Goche was yesterday quoted by The Sunday Mail attributing the failure to meet within the stipulated timeframe to the absence of MDC negotiators Prof Ncube and Mrs Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, who were out of the country on official business.

Prof Ncube told The Herald that the negotiators had asked Cde Chinamasa to organise the meeting.

"We had asked Minister (Patrick) Chinamasa to co-ordinate (the meeting) and he agreed to consult others (negotiators). He came to me on Friday and indicated that we were not able to meet until Monday," Prof Ncube said.

He said Minister Chinamasa told him that some of the negotiators were not available hence the deferment.

"Monday has been set as the provisional day for the meeting. We might be worried as a party, but there is nothing we can do. We cannot meet alone. Everyone has to be there," he said.

Prof Ncube said there was no indication from Minister Chinamasa as to who were not present.

Mr Chamisa said parties to the negotiations should desist from "finger-pointing and trading accusations."

"Why do we not trade ideas? Conflict or friction has no winner while working together produces winners. We are all winners as a country if we manage our differences amicably," Mr Chamisa said.

Apparently, MDC-T has been accusing Zanu-PF and the MDC led by Professor Arthur Mutambara of derailing the talks.

MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai and some of the negotiators met briefly on Monday last week and sources say nothing of substance was discussed because some of the negotiators were not present.

Principals to the GPA had met earlier.