Prospects of resolving Zimbabwe's two-week-old election crisis appeared dim Friday after a government spokesman said President Robert Mugabe would not attend a key weekend meeting with other regional leaders.| They were dimmed as soon as it became evident Bob had lost. |
Tsvangirai held a face-to-face meeting Thursday evening with South African President Thabo Mbeki in Johannesburg. Details of the meeting were not released, but it comes amid growing pressure on South Africa to step in and help resolve the election. Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change claims he won the election over Mugabe, but the Zimbabwean government has yet to announce the results.
An MDC spokesman said Thursday that Tsvangirai would not accept a run-off with Mugabe, if one was required, because Tsvangirai won the election. Tendai Biti had previously said Tsvangirai would participate in a run-off but only under protest. Without any official results, it is not known whether a presidential run-off is required.