Power-sharing talks deferred to Monday

THE Southern African Development Community’s Organ for Defence and Security which met yesterday to consider arguments from the principals in the power-sharing talks has deferred the talks to next week Monday.

The delay was caused by the absence of the MDC President, Morgan Tsvangirai who snubbed the talks because he had been issued with travel documents late Sunday, according to his party.

The MDC-T party’s secretary general Tendai Biti gave a press conference in Johannesburg where he indicated that his party’s president would not be attending the Troika meeting and was instead seeking an expand role by the Sadc region to facilitate the talks in Zimbabwe. The MDC-T party would like former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki replaced as facilitator by an expanded group.

Sadc endorsed Mbeki as facilitator in the powersharing talks in the country and the African Union also supported the idea.

The MDC party has argued that Mbeki is not an impartial facilitator and needs to be replaced.

The Troika, however, went on with the meeting in Mbabane, the Swazi capital, to consider developments in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Lesotho.

Discussions on Zimbabwe were pushed to next Monday and will be held in Harare.

The Zanu PF party criticised the MDC-T leader for not attending the Troika meeting saying he had the necessary papers to travel to Swaziland or wherever he liked. King Mswati III of Swziland offered his private jet to ferry the MDC-T leader, but he refused.

Justice Minister and Zanu PF negotiator in the all-party talks, Patrick Chinamasa said the snub by the MDC-T leader showed a lack of sincerity to get the talks concluded.

"There was no basis whatsoever that he could not come to Swaziland. There was an offer of a chartered plane to pick him up to attend the meeting. Our understanding is he declined to take up the offer," Chinamasa said.

He added: "Tsvangirai’s failure to come to Swaziland seems to us to reflect his own reluctance or hesitancy to finalize and conclude discussions on the formation of an inclusive Government.

"We want, as Zanu PF and Government, to have this matter concluded speedily so that we can tackle all what we committed ourselves to in the power-sharing agreement to help our people."

The other negotiators from the MDC-T party, Tendai Biti and Elton Mangoma, also snubbed the talks. They flew to South Africa instead where they held a press conference.

Biti said even if Tsvangirai had the necessary documents he would not have attended the Troika meeting. Addressing journalists in Johannesburg Biti said: “"I think it (the Swazi summit) is over," and said that his party preferred “full Sadc intervention”.

Biti also said that the MDC-T had referred the matter to the African Union before even the Troika met on Monday. “We have spoken to the AU and they are very eager to intervene in this matter."

The Troika meets on Monday, but current chair, King Mswati III will not be able to attend as he has pressing issues at home. The meeting will be chaired by

Mozambican President Armando Guebuza would chair the meeting in his absence. Mozambique is the deputy chair of the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security.

King Mswati III would be represented by Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini.

Zim Guardian/AFP