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PRETORIA : Power-sharing talks between Zimbabwe's political rivals will resume Friday, officials said, more than two weeks after negotiations stalled, amid anger over President Robert Mugabe's plans to form a government without the opposition.
"The talks are resuming today. Those groups are in South Africa at the moment. Talks will resume today in order to finalise all outstanding matters," South Africa's Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad told journalists.
"We hope the talks can lead to the finalisation of the political of outstanding matters so that we can start with a normalisation of the political, economic and humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe," Pahad said.
However, the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said its negotiating team had not reached South Africa.
"It is not true that MDC delegation has arrived in South Africa for the talks," spokesman George Sibotshiwe told AFP.
A smaller opposition faction led by Arthur Mutambara taking part in the talks had arrived, its spokesman said.
"Our negotiators are in South Africa for the talks. The talks are resuming this weekend," said the spokesman Edwin Mushoriwa.
South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki is mediating the negotiations, under the auspices of the regional bloc, the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Relations have soured between the two sides since the talks stalled on August 17 at the end of a SADC summit in South Africa designed to wrap them up.
Mugabe, whose ruling ZANU-PF party lost its majority in March elections, was jeered and heckled during his speech to the opening of parliament on Monday. And the veteran leader has insisted on forming a government without the opposition, because of a lack of progress in the talks.
Divisions remain over how Mugabe, 84, and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, would share power in a national unity government, including what authority they would have as president and prime minister.
Analysts believe Mugabe is reluctant to yield responsibility for sensitive security ministries like the army, police and intelligence, given that Zimbabwe's military are strong backers of the veteran president.
The parties are also divided over how long a transitional government would remain in place, according to a South African official.
The MDC wants a clause in the agreement stating that elections be held within 90 days of either of the parties pulling out of the unity government, said official said, speaking before the talks stalled.
"Unless there is a political solution we don't have the necessary framework to deal with the economic recovery package for Zimbabwe and the humanitarian crisis," Pahad told journalists on Friday.
He said that no deadline has been set for the completion of the talks.
"It will be determined by the progress made. They will continue until all parties feel they have covered sufficient ground," he added.
The talks began after both sides signed a memorandum of understanding on July 21.
- AFP /ls
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