Mbeki off to Zimbabwe for power-sharing talks
"He's going on Saturday to meet the leaders of the political parties involved in the SADC-mandated talks facilitated by South Africa," Ronnie Mamoepa told AFP on Friday, referring to the Southern African Development Community regional bloc.
He added Mbeki would meet Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai, as well as the leader of a smaller MDC faction, Arthur Mutambara.
Mbeki is to return on Sunday, according to Mamoepa, who could not say whether he would meet with the leaders individually or in one session.
Asked whether the visit by the South African president, who has been mediating the Zimbabwe talks, meant a deal was near, the spokesman said: "I don't want to speculate about this."
A South African newspaper reported on Friday that Mugabe and Tsvangirai will meet this weekend with the two sides drawing nearer to a power-sharing agreement.
Citing unnamed sources, Business Day reported that the Sunday meeting "would decide whether (Mugabe's) ZANU-PF and the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change would come up with a final power-sharing deal this weekend."
A spokesman for Mutambara told AFP that all three leaders would meet soon in Harare. Edwin Mushoriwa said negotiators were expected to return home from South Africa on Friday and the meeting would take place afterward.
Power-sharing talks over Zimbabwe's crisis began in South Africa after the country's political rivals signed an accord on July 21 laying the groundwork for negotiations.
The crisis intensified after Mugabe's victory in a June 27 presidential run-off election that was widely condemned as a farce.
Tsvangirai boycotted the run-off after finishing ahead of Mugabe in the March first round, citing violence against his supporters that had killed dozens and injured thousands.
The rival parties issued a joint statement Wednesday calling on their supporters to halt all political violence in a sign that the power-sharing talks may have moved closer to an agreement.
Mushoriwa said the joint statement was agreed upon as part of the discussions, which include Mutambara's MDC faction.
Tsvangirai believes his first-round total gives him the right to the lion's share of power, but sources in his party said previously that Mugabe's negotiators had so far only offered him one of several vice-presidential posts.
The ruling party has insisted Mugabe must be recognised as president as part of any deal, since he won the June 27 vote.