Zimbabwe political talks in stalemate: opposition

By Nelson Banya

HARARE (Reuters) - President Robert Mugabe's party and the opposition failed last week to agree a framework for talks to end Zimbabwe's crisis, the opposition said on Sunday, but state media said negotiations would continue.

The first preliminary talks between the two sides since a disputed election were adjourned on Friday without agreement, a spokesman for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) told Reuters.

Election-related violence that has killed 113 MDC activists since the first round of voting in March was continuing and this led to the talks stalemate, MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said.

The MDC faction led by presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai and a smaller grouping led by Arthur Mutambara began preliminary discussions on Thursday with officials from Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF under the auspices of South African mediators in Pretoria, the South African capital.

"There was (no agreement). The matters are still outstanding. It's not about the table discussions in Pretoria but about what's happening on this side of the Limpopo (river)," Chamisa said.

"We still have to clear the course for meaningful talks."

Despite Chamisa's denials, Zimbabwean state media reports on Sunday suggested an agreement had been reached on a way forward for negotiations.

The state-owned Sunday Mail said the parties had agreed on a "working framework" which "paved the way for serious talks".

A South African newspaper, The Sunday Independent, said the negotiating parties would sign an agreement to guide "intensive talks" that would begin in Harare on Wednesday and run until the end of July.

The talks would focus on the formation of an inclusive government, it reported.

RUN-OFF ELECTION

Tsvangirai defeated Mugabe in a March 29 presidential election but failed to win the absolute majority needed to avoid the second ballot.

The MDC leader then withdrew from the June 27 runoff vote citing political violence, and has refused to negotiate a power-sharing deal until the government halts the bloodshed.

Chamisa accused the ruling party of continuing violence.

"Our MPs, councilors and members are being victimized. We still have attacks targeting our sympathizers. In fact it's as if the MDC is a banned organization," Chamisa said.