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Zimbabwe: MDC won’t sign draft accord until demands met- Tsvangirai wing insist Tue. July 15, 2008 07:22 am.- By Bonny Apunyu. -
(SomaliNet) As Zimbabwe's rival parties were locked in talks in Harare on Monday night, putting the finishing touches to a draft document intended to pave the way for power-sharing negotiations to begin later this week. Opposition Morgan Tsvangirai's wing of the MDC insists they won't sign the draft until their demands are met.
MDC are calling for the appointment of an African Union envoy to the Southern African Development Community-led talks, the release of all political prisoners, cessation of violence and disbandment of all militias before they join the negotiating table.
Even in its draft form, however, the so-called memo of understanding is already dividing the three parties it aims to unite.
The document scheduled to be signed on Wednesday, was to lay the ground rules for a two-week round of intensive negotiations during which Zanu-PF and both factions of the Movement for Democratic Change would discuss the formation of an inclusive government to put an end to the crisis.
Tsvangirai suggested time was not on the negotiators' side, with just 24 hours to go until the scheduled signing ceremony.
"We will not sign until the conditions are met," he said on Monday night.
"And Wednesday is too early" to get those conditions in place, he added.
Even if the MDC conditions are met, the MDC's chief negotiator, Tendai Biti, believes "Zanu-PF will not budge on real issues of governance".
However, a member of President Robert Mugabe's party, who spoke on condition of anonymity, suggested otherwise. He said finding a solution was in everybody's interest.
What Zanu-PF is likely to do next if the MDC refuses to sign the memo of understanding is unclear.
Under Zimbabwe's constitution, the new parliament should be convened on Thursday, when a new cabinet should also be appointed.
However, if the MDC refuses to agree to talks on Wednesday, Mugabe could well constitute a cabinet of his own picking a day later - something the other parties would hope to avoid.-The Star
News Category: Africa
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