Johannesburg — The leaders of South Africa, Nigeria and Malawi flew to Harare first thing Monday for talks with their Zimbabwean counterpart, amid feverish speculation that President Robert Mugabe may be contemplating early retirement as his divided country lurches deeper into political and economic turmoil.
In a fresh attempt to resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe, South African President Thabo Mbeki, Malawian leader, Bakili Muluzi, and newly re-elected President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria began private discussions with Mugabe at State House in the capital at about 10h00 GMT, which lasted two hours.
The visiting African presidential delegation went on to hold a separate meeting with Zimbabwes main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
The new regional initiative came after a hint by 79 year-old Mugabe last month that he might be ready to bow out of power after 23 years as president, since Zimbabwe gained independence from Britain in 1980.
There has been growing pressure on regional leaders, especially Mbeki, by some Western governments, to help sort out Zimbabwes problems. Experts say the economy is in free fall, Mugabes political opponents are harassed, in some cases opposition supporters have been tortured. There has also been international condemnation of what observers consider a disastrous policy of redistribution of white-owned farms to landless black people.
The often violent occupation of agricultural land has compromised commercial farming dominated by whites in Zimbabwe, once considered the breadbasket of southern Africa. Crippling fuel and food shortages, a chronic dearth of foreign exchange, as well as rocketing unemployment and rampant inflation, have contributed to the collapse of the economy and left swathes of the 11.6 million population hungry.
The main labour union federation and the opposition have virtually shut down the economy in two national anti-government strikes in the past two months. Both organisations have said they will use "passive resistance," strikes and demonstrations to protest against Mugabe's leadership.
Mugabe, the erstwhile revolutionary hero of the liberation struggle against white minority rule in then Rhodesia, has blamed the opposition for trying to sabotage his reform plans, calling his opponents the 'stooges' of former colonial power Britain, and other Western countries.
Officially the Harare talks are billed as an effort to facilitate dialogue between Mugabe and Tsvangirai, which broke down shortly after disputed presidential polls in March 2002 in which Mugabe was controversially re-elected, despite fierce domestic and international criticism.
Mugabe has said he was prepared to meet Tsvangirai if the opposition leader recognised him as Zimbabwes duly re-elected head of state and dropped a legal challenge to the disputed 2002 presidential poll results.
Tsvangirai, who is facing treason charges for allegedly plotting to assassinate Mugabe, has ruled out any deal. The MDC has said it will pursue its court case to reverse the contested outcome of the presidential ballot and rejected any preconditions for talks with the president.
Tsvangirai has criticised African leaders for continuing to recognise Mugabe, a man he claims rigged the presidential vote, intimidated opposition supporters and endorsed state-sponsored violence.
There was little doubt that the sensitive matter of Mugabes future as head of state would be broached at Monday's meeting, despite quiet denials. The issue has set tongues wagging in and outside southern Africa in recent weeks, since Mugabe told Zimbabwe state television in an interview that he was "getting to a stage" where retirement might be an option.
Since then officials in Harare have vigorously downplayed any talk of Mugabe's early departure.
But Tsvangirai added to already rife speculation this week, by saying his party was willing to discuss a possible "smooth exit" from power for his rival and the countrys veteran leader, to usher in a "post-Mugabe era".
On Monday, Tsvangirai told the BBC that Mugabe's readiness to talk could be the "light at the end of the tunnel" for Zimbabwe, hinting that compromise could not be ruled out. "If they want to talk, we are ready to talk. If they see the same national interest as we see it, I think there is hope for the country".
Mbekis spokesman, Bheki Khumalo, told South Africas national broadcaster that no departure plan was being considered for Mugabe. He said: "There is no exit plan that the South African government has seen or is involved in." He also commented: "We strongly reject the notion that the president (Mbeki) can go to another country to effect a regime change there. It is up to Mr Mugabe to deal with such issues."
Mbeki has so far adopted a "quiet diplomacy" approach to Zimbabwe, despite Western government calls for Mugabe to behave democratically or step aside. Last year London, the European Union (EU) and Washington slapped smart (personal) sanctions on Mugabe and members of his inner circle.
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The South African leader was quoted by the Johannesburg Star newspaper as saying, "the political leadership of Zimbabwe must get together to look at all these challenges of Zimbabwe and solve them, because a solution to the problems of Zimbabwe lies with the Zimbabweans - it doesnt lie with anybody else."
Before he left Malawi, Muluzi told reporters their visit was to encourage "internal dialogue" in Zimbabwe. He said "It is not a secret that Zimbabwe is facing very serious economic and political problems and I think it is our responsibility to assist when a neighbour in a situation like that arises."
The high-powered African delegation's trip to Zimbabwe comes ahead of an official visit to southern Africa by the United States' top Africa official, Walter Kansteiner.
Quoting American officials in Harare, the Associated Press reported Monday that Kansteiner, the US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, was due to visit South Africa and Botswana, "to win backing for US calls for political reform in Zimbabwe."
