Zimbabwe rivals in power-sharing talks

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HARARE, Zimbabwe (CN*) -- Power-sharing talks in Zimbabwe entered their second day Tuesday amid reports they might collapse if President Robert Mugabe does not concede to opposition demands.

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As Mugabe left the hotel Monday night where talks are taking place, he looked relaxed, smiled, and said the negotiations were going "very well."

"We are moving forward and not backwards," said the 84-year-old Mugabe, who has been at the helm of Zimbabwe since the country gained independence in 1980.

Mugabe's sentiments were in contrast to those of Nelson Chamisa, spokesman for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

"We still have serious differences," Chamisa said Monday. "We hope to narrow them. We are trying to find areas of consensus and possibly finalize the whole discussion tomorrow (Tuesday)."

South African President Thabo Mbeki is mediating the talks in Harare at the behest of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Sources attending the talks say MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai maintains that he will sign the agreement only if Mugabe gives up some power.

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At the MDC's ninth anniversary celebrations Sunday, Tsvangirai said Mugabe must take a ceremonial presidency post and allow the opposition leader to head the government. Tsvangirai called for fresh elections if Mugabe refused.

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It appears unlikely, however, that Mugabe would be willing to relinquish the powers he has enjoyed for 28 years.

Last week, Mugabe gave a 24-hour ultimatum to the MDC and threatened to name a cabinet without the opposition if Tsvangirai refused to sign the power-sharing deal. The MDC did not budge, saying it wants the power-sharing talks to come to a conclusion before a cabinet can be announced.

Zimbabwe has had no cabinet since the March election and June presidential run-off that sparked the current political limbo.

Tsvangirai won the most votes in the March vote, but not enough to avoid a run-off, according to the government's official count. But days before the June run-off, he withdrew, saying Mugabe's supporters had waged a campaign of violence and intimidation against opposition supporters.

Chamisa has said he hopes Mbeki will help break the current deadlock during this week's meetings in Harare.