Mugabe, Tsvangirai resume Zimbabwe talks

HARARE, Zimbabwe, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, moderated by South African leader Thabo Mbeki, met Wednesday in power-sharing talks.

The three arrived at a Harare hotel after expressing optimism Tuesday that a deal to allow Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change some measure of power in Zimbabwe was near and perhaps could be completed Wednesday, the South African Broadcasting Corp. reported.

Tuesday's reported optimism could mean that a new element had been added to the previously deadlocked negotiations, in which Mugabe reportedly had been unwilling to give up authority over the country's armed forces and security apparatus, an analyst told the Voice of America.

Harald Pakendorf, an independent South African political analyst, said: "I would think that if the report is correct then there must be an added something that we don't know about, perhaps a time line, something which says Mr. Mugabe would serve the government for a year and then Mr. Tsvangirai takes over or perhaps talks of another election."

Mugabe said after Tuesday's session there were two outstanding issues remaining but prospects of a deal were brighter than ever before, while Tsvangirai said a deal was within reach, SABC reported.