ZIMBABWE:THE LEADERS of Zimbabwe's rival parties resumed their power-sharing talks yesterday amid renewed speculation that a compromise deal that would bring an end to the country's political crisis could be achieved. Bill Corcoranreports from Durban
Since the arrival of South African president Thabo Mbeki in Harare on Monday to mediate between the parties taking part in the troubled negotiations, all three party leaders have expressed various degrees of optimism that a deal was possible before the end of the week.
President Robert Mugabe, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai and opposition faction leader Arthur Mutambara gathered yesterday afternoon at the Rainbow Towers Hotel to open what many hope is the final round of talks and the beginning of attempts to revive the floundering economy.
It is understood that Mr Mbeki has tabled a new proposal that outlines how the country's power-sharing cabinet positions could be more evenly divided among Mr Mugabe's regime and the MDC.
Last month, Mr Tsvangirai refused to sign up to a deal at a regional summit in Johannesburg because it gave Mr Mugabe too much executive power.
Under that agreement Mr Tsvangirai would have been prime minister and Mr Mugabe president.
Since the talks broke down the opposition party has claimed that "no deal is better than a bad deal" and Mr Mugabe has threatened to form his own government.
As he arrived at the hotel to begin the meeting, the 84-year-old leader told reporters he was "optimistic" that a deal would be done. The MDC was more cautious saying there was "guarded optimism".