MDC says no talks unless AU appoints envoy to Zimbabwe (Extra)

Africa News

Jul 2, 2008, 11:55 GMT

Harare - Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic said Wednesday the party would not engage in talks on a powersharing government with longtime leader Robert Mugabe unless the African Union appointed an envoy to the country. In a statement issued in Harare a day after African Union leaders called for a government of national unity in Zimbabwe the MDC said its reservations about the mediation of South African President Thabo Mbeki were 'well known.' Mbeki is the 14-nation Southern African Development Community's mediator in Zimbabwe. On Tuesday the AU summit in Egypt gave him the green light to continue in the role. The MDC has accused him of bias towards Mugabe. 'It is our position that unless the mediation team is expanded to include at least one permanent representative from the African Union, and the mediation mechanism is changed, no meaningful progress can be made towards resolving the Zimbabwean crisis,' the MDC said. 'If this does not happen then the MDC will not be part of such a mediation process,' the statement delivered by party leader Morgan Tsvangirai added. The MDC also deplored the fact the AU summit resolution on Zimbabwe 'did not recognize the illegitimacy of the June 27 elections and the fact that most African leaders refuses to recognize Mugabe as the head of state.' The unanimous resolution by the 53 heads of state said they were 'deeply concerned' about the negative reports from African election observers about the election but did not call them 'illegitimate.' 'While the MDC remains committed to negotiations these must be based on the 29th March results and must move towards a transitional agreement,' the MDC said. Tsvangirai topped the poll in the first round of voting for president on March 29 in elections welcomed as the most free in Zimbabwe in years. The MDC says he should be leader of a transitional unity government, but Mugabe's party claims he is the rightful leader. He pulled out of the second round on June 27 five days ahead of voting, citing fears for the safety of his supporters. The party says it has lost 90 of its supporters in state-sponsored militia attacks since the March vote.

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