Dismay for MDC as talks go nowhere

The national executive was briefed during a meeting on Friday about the issues covered in the final report of the global political agreement talks between Zanu (PF) and the two MDC formations. Party spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said: Its sad to note that there seems to be no progress, no movement on key issues that we have always flagged. That is, issues to do with the provincial governors, issues to do with Roy Bennett, and the Attorney General and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwes offices. We are still where we were, possibly before President Zuma came to Harare.

Chamisa said the political parties in the inclusive government had agreed to disagree and the issues were now with the facilitator, South African President Jacob Zuma, and the Southern African Development Community. The state-controlled Sunday Mail reported that the three parties had resolved 24 out of the 27 sticking points, contradicting most observers to the talks. Chamisa said, contrary to earlier statements, this latest report on the talks would not be made public, at least in the short term, claiming it was to protect and safeguard the integrity of the negotiations.

He said: But by divulging that there is no progress we have actually done justice to members of the public who may actually want to know what is happening. There hasnt been any movement of significant note other than on issues that are possibly not very substantial around the Electoral Act. This is in stark contrast to statements made by President Zuma at the end of his two-day visit to Zimbabwe last month, when he said the parties had agreed to a package of measures to help rescue the fragile unity government. However Chamisa said there had been correct body language and signals after

Zumas visit, but what we are beginning to see is actually a negation of the perception we had built earlier on. So I must say we really are worried about the developments because everything seems to be now arrested and this has also, in a way, arrested matters of governance. Despite, this general lack of progress, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is set to travel to Europe later this month. Chamisa said it was a gross misrepresentation of facts that the MDC was travelling to Europe to call for the removal of the targeted measures against Mugabe and his inner circles. He said: We have no obligation at all to be accused of being the authors of the misfortunes that have affected people in Zanu (PF) and equally we do not want to be held accountable or to be asked to do things that we were not responsible for in the first place. So this is all media hype.

But he said there was indeed a government committee going to Europe on issues of re-engaging with the West. Meanwhile the MDC (T) has written a letter to ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe indicating its displeasure at the conduct of its youth leader, Julius Malema. Just days after returning to South Africa from Zimbabwe, where he was a guest of Zanu (PF), the controversial ANC youth president criticised the MDC at a press conference in Johannesburg. Chamisa said: Malemas utterances complicate the negotiation process. We have said we want to understand if there is a distinction between ANC policy and the outbursts of this young person.