afrol News, 28 October - Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe and main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai have failed to end feud over control of key ministries on Monday, forcing regional security body to call for full summit meeting of 15 member Southern African Development Community.

Zimbabwe talks remained deadlocked after 13 hours over who should control Zimbabwe's home affairs ministry. The ministry is responsible for police, whom Movement for Democratic Change accuses of continuing human-rights abuses against voices of dissent raised against Mr Mugabe.

SADC executive secretary Tomaz A. Salomao, said leaders from South Africa, Angola, Mozambique and Swaziland attending overnight talks in Harare urged for convening of a full summit to review current political situation in Zimbabwe.

Mr Salomao said summit could be held either in Harare or a neighbouring capital, though it was unclear exactly when the leaders would gather.

"The people of Zimbabwe are faced with difficult challenges that can only be addressed once the inclusive government is in place," SADC statement said.

According to analysts, call for a full summit represented a modest victory for Mr Tsvangirai, who has been calling for intervention from SADC and other blocs to resolve Zimbabwe's crisis.

Before overnight talks, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed concerned over growing human crisis in Zimbabwe, putting emphasis on humanitarian situation in the country, saying it may worsen in the course of 2008 and 2009.

"There are also deepening concerns about public health with shortages of drugs and clean water," he said.

Zimbabwe's sparring political parties reached a power-sharing agreement 15 September. An agreement, brokered by former South African President Thabo Mbeki, gave Zanu-PF a one-seat minority in a 31-member cabinet. It failed to allocate ministries to either the MDC or Zanu-PF, leading to over a month of stalemate.

Meanwhile, Harare talks were marred by riots when about 100 demonstrators tried to reach hotel where troika summit was being held. Riot police are reported to have cracked down on protesters, arresting nearly half of them, leaving eight people injured.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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