The African Union, United Nations and a grouping of 14 southern African nations have endorsed South African President Thabo Mbeki's mediation of Zimbabwe's crisis talks, Mr Mbeki's office said today.
"All parties agreed with the framework proposed by President Mbeki to facilitate a solution to the challenges in Zimbabwe," the presidency said in a statement after the South African leader briefed AU, UN and SADC diplomats on the talks.
Meanwhile, Angola's foreign minister said today that Zimbabwe's crisis has weakened the unity of the southern African body SADC, suggesting the region is divided over how to deal with President Robert Mugabe's disputed re-election.
Talks between Mr Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change have stalled, with MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai refusing to agree to full-blown negotiations that could pave the way for a national unity government.
Several African nations, including Zambia and Botswana, have broken ranks and condemned Mugabe's landslide victory in the June 27th run-off poll, which Mr Tsvangirai boycotted because of attacks on his party's supporters.
"The SADC region is experiencing an unprecedented situation vis-a-vis the situation in Zimbabwe," Joao de Miranda said at the opening of a summit of the Southern African Development Community in Durban.
The Angolan foreign minister added that regional unity and cohesion had become more fragile because of the problems in Zimbabwe, where the collapse of the economy has sent millions of refugees into neighbouring states.
Mr Mbeki has been mediating the preliminary talks between Mugabe's officials and the MDC, but has been accused of failing to make any progress and of favouring Mugabe with his discreet diplomatic approach.
Mr Mugabe (84), in power since independence from Britain in 1980, has blamed the opposition for the bloodshed and insisted that it acknowledge his victory.
Reuters