Mugabe, Tsvangirai sign Zimbabwe framework deal

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Monday signed a deal laying down the framework for formal talks on forming a power sharing government to end a deep political crisis.

It was the first meeting in 10 years between the two rival leaders, who are widely believed to detest each other. They sat at a conference table separated by South African President Thabo Mbeki who mediated the deal.

...

Officials from both sides said the framework agreement sets a two-week deadline for the government and two factions of the opposition MDC to discuss key issues including a unity government and how to hold new elections.

A government of national unity has been pushed as a solution to the crisis by the African Union and the regional body SADC (Southern African Development Community), both deeply concerned by Zimbabwe's political violence and an economic crisis that has flooded neighbouring states with millions of refugees.

Tsvangirai's MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) and Mugabe's ZANU-PF are also committed under the agreement to ease political tension within the two-week deadline, officials said.

One analyst said there were still wide differences between the MDC and Mugabe's ruling party which needed to be overcome.

antipaladin said:
OMGzS1111111111111111! WTF CONGOzss!@!!!@#@E@

r00kers said:
Mugabe playing for time.

Tiwaz said:

Hasn't he been doing that for a while now?

Sick said:

Yes, but now they're printing the new 100 billion dollar banknotes.

Tiwaz said:

SOURCE?

Zimbabwe's troubled central bank introduced $100 billion banknotes Saturday in a desperate bid to ease the recurrent cash shortages plaguing the inflation-ravaged economy.

The bills officially come into circulation Monday, although they were on the foreign currency dealers market Saturday.

As high as they are, though, the bills still aren't enough to buy a loaf of bread. They can buy only four oranges.

The new note is equal to just one U.S. dollar.

Zimbabwe, grappling with a record 2.2 million percent inflation, has introduced a new 100-billion-dollar bank note in a bid to tackle rampant cash shortages, the central bank said Saturday.

The new note will go into circulation on Monday, the bank said in a statement cited by state media, joining about half a dozen new high denomination notes already issued this year.

Sick said:

CNN

Yahoo!

Is that sufficient?

Tiwaz said:
Maybe I'm just an optimist, but I can't see Tsvangirai being assassinated at this point. The culprit would be obvious, and it would do nothing to solidify his power. He's better off appeasing the opposition, SADC, SA (Mbeki), and the world--that means playing nice.

SockPuppet said:

It wouldn't be now. Make a nice little power-sharing agreement, wait three months, and find some poor sod to take the rap. It's not as though the police and security establishment are neutral, after all.
Then there'd be no need for elections, since Mugabe would already have Done The Right Thing by making the power-sharing agreement.

Tiwaz said:

I don't know. It's just my gut feeling. Even if it was some random person, everyone would know who was behind it regardless of whether or not anyone could prove it. He just doesn't need that bullshit, and he's already said there will be no more elections (as far as this round is concerned). He got what he wanted. There's no reason--I can see--to do it.
And thanks for that wiki link. I never knew about it, and the pardon seems to be recent news.

SockPuppet said:
I hope you're right. I really can't see any way of power-sharing that wouldn't cede all the advantages to Mugabe, though.

Tiwaz said:

Sorry, I should have said, "source." I wasn't questioning your credibility, I wanted to read more about it. But yes, they were sufficient.