afrol News, 24 July - Talks aimed at ending Zimbabwe's political crisis began today in South Africa at an undisclosed venue, sources in president Thabo Mbeki's office have confirmed.

The talks which follows Monday signing by Zimbabwean leaders, president Robert Mugabe and MDC's leader Morgan Tsvangirai, are expected to take two weeks and break hard stands on power sharing in southern Africa's economic battered state.

Sources in South Africa have said negotiators from both ruling Zimbabwe's ZANU-PF and opposition MDC flew in last evening in the same flight.

Ruling party has sent its Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Public Services Minister Nicholas Goche, while MDC negotiators are Secretary General Tendai Biti and Deputy Treasurer Elton Mangoma.

Mr Mugabe is reported to have briefed his Lieutenants in Harare yesterday before they were given a mandate to proceed with negotiations before ZANU-PF's central controlling body.

Under the agreement signed on Monday, both parties are not to talk to media.

SADC and its mediator, who meet in August in South Africa, will be watching talks closely, as a peace and power-sharing deal would be a victory for the region, which has favoured talks rather than tougher stance against Zimbabwe's 84-years old leader, Mr Robert Mugabe.

Zimbabwe's political storms intensified soon after March general elections, which saw Mr Mugabe defeated for the first time since talking power in 1980. Since his rival Mr Tsvangirai had not gained a large majority win, according to election officials, a second round of presidential run-off was called, but MDC pulled-out at the eleventh hour because of continuing violence, especially against its supporters, by ruling party cadres.

Zimbabwe has sunk into the deepest economically, reaching a record 2.2 million inflation rate, while hundred of thousands of its citizens have been displaced, due to economic hardships and latest rise in political violence.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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