Mbeki Set to Give Zimbabwe Talks a Final Push

by Peta Thornycroft


President Thabo Mbeki will begin trying to unblock the deadlocked talks between Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change on Saturday when he returns from Polokwane.


Zimbabwe's negotiators from Zanu PF and the MDC were in Pretoria last Saturday reporting that eight months of talks had stalled and needed South African intervention to resolve the dispute.


African diplomats now in Polokwane say they understood that Mbeki reassured the Zimbabweans he will return to unblock negotiations on the Zimbabwe crisis at the first opportunity, which they say will be Saturday.


The talks deadlocked after the Zanu PF Congress last week when it became clear President Robert Mugabe was sticking to March as the election date, and that there would be no new constitution in place ahead of the poll.


The new constitution has already been negotiated and is ready for the government printers.


State media, which usually reflects Zanu PF thinking has insinuated the MDC and Zanu PF are about to sign a political agreement.


That is not the case, even though a raft of repressive legislation will be amended Tuesday, including the most infamous, the Access to Information and Protection Of Privacy, AIPPA, which makes journalists guilty of a crime if they are caught working without accreditation.


The state has failed to refuse some Zimbabwe journalists accreditation for the last five years, but has also failed to accredit them. If caught working, they faced up to two years in prison.


Most western foreign journalists also travelled to Zimbabwe and faced arrest if caught as they could not get accreditation.


They can now apply for accreditation for up to 60 days in Zimbabwe.


Conditions for political parties holding executive meetings and rallies have also been largely restored to what they were in 2000.


Other laws going to parliament Tuesday are massive amendments to electoral laws.


These significant and wide ranging concessions wrenched from Zanu PF by MDC negotiators also include new broadcasting laws which could see new electronic media emerging,


At present there are only four state controlled radio stations and one state run television station.


The amendments to the obnoxious media, security, broadcasting and electoral laws, will go through a fast tracked parliamentary process Tuesday. Mugabe gave his consent for them to be put to parliament without cabinet seeing them first.


The MDC will support the amendments in parliament Tuesday, and negotiators have said they will be available to Mbeki throughout the holiday period.


Mbeki is expected to try and persuade Mugabe that without a new constitution the amendments are only a part of the solution to the political crisis which he has said would be undisputed elections.


He will also be expected to try and persuade Mugabe that the new political climate created by amendments to political laws will need time to take hold in the population ahead of the next elections.


If Mbeki fails, and in terms of the mediation process, Mbeki will then report back to SADC to see if a collective of regional presidents can pressure President Mugabe. If that fails then a special and emergency summit on Zimbabwe can be expected.


Zanu PF negotiators had their mobile phones switched off yesterday.


Several analysts in South Africa say they believe Mbeki will give the Zimbabwe talks deadlock "his best shot." They say after his humiliation at Polokwane he will want to secure his legacy and success with Zimbabwe would be a major victory.


In a press release Monday unity between the two factions of the MDC was again back under discussion in Morgan Tsvangirai's faction. He broke off negotiations for an election co-operation agreement in May after 10 months of negotiations in South Africa.