PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
SA mediators arrive in Zimbabwe for talks
Harare, Zimbabwe (PANA) - A team of South African mediators arrived in Zimbabwe on Wednesday for talks with the leaders of the country's coalition government to ease tensions ahead of an expected poll.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) appointed South Africa mediator in Zimbabwe after the country fell into a prolonged political crisis, pitting the government and the opposition.
As a compromise, President Robert Mugabe was in 2009 forced to co-opt the opposition into government over a two-year period which expired early this month.
Fresh elections now loom in the country, and political tensions have been rising again ahead of the poll which Mugabe says he wants held before June.
The opposition, led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, opposes the election plans, insisting on electoral reforms to be put in place first.
There has been renewed inter-party fighting between Mugabe and Tsvangirai supporters in the last three weeks, including petrol bombings.
SADC has expressed deep concerns over the renewed fighting, forcing South African President Jacob Zuma to send in his aides to talk to the Zimbabwean leaders.
Officials said the mediators would meet both Mugabe and Tsvangirai, and urged restraint. The tensions have been whipped up by Tsvangirai's comments that Zimbabwe was ripe for Egyptian- and Tunisian-style uprisings to force Mugabe, who has been in power for 31 years, out of office.
-0- PANA RS/VAO 23Feb2011
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) appointed South Africa mediator in Zimbabwe after the country fell into a prolonged political crisis, pitting the government and the opposition.
As a compromise, President Robert Mugabe was in 2009 forced to co-opt the opposition into government over a two-year period which expired early this month.
Fresh elections now loom in the country, and political tensions have been rising again ahead of the poll which Mugabe says he wants held before June.
The opposition, led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, opposes the election plans, insisting on electoral reforms to be put in place first.
There has been renewed inter-party fighting between Mugabe and Tsvangirai supporters in the last three weeks, including petrol bombings.
SADC has expressed deep concerns over the renewed fighting, forcing South African President Jacob Zuma to send in his aides to talk to the Zimbabwean leaders.
Officials said the mediators would meet both Mugabe and Tsvangirai, and urged restraint. The tensions have been whipped up by Tsvangirai's comments that Zimbabwe was ripe for Egyptian- and Tunisian-style uprisings to force Mugabe, who has been in power for 31 years, out of office.
-0- PANA RS/VAO 23Feb2011
