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Africa Subsaharan
Thabo in Harare for crisis talks with Bob
2008-04-12
South African President Thabo Mbeki arrived in Zimbabwe on Saturday for talks with President Robert Mugabe on the country's election deadlock, before regional leaders meet in Zambia to discuss the crisis. The Harare talks would be the first between the two leaders since Zimbabwe's elections on March 29.

Mugabe has said he will not attend the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Lusaka later on Saturday, called by Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa to try to end the impasse over Zimbabwe's disputed elections and prevent the crisis from turning violent.

The 14-member SADC has long been seen as toothless in its response to Zimbabwe's political and economic problems.
Just emulating their mentor the U.N. ...
Mbeki has been mediating between Mugabe and the MDC since last year. The SADC delegated the South African president to oversee negotiations between Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF and the MDC in an effort to reach an agreement that would ensure a fair and free election. The talks failed, prompting a wave of criticism of SADC and Mbeki's quiet diplomacy.

The 84-year-old Zimbabwean leader has shown no sign of giving in to those urging him to respect the results of the March 29 election.

The summit appeared to be the best chance to dissuade him from launching another crackdown on the opposition. Dozens of MDC activists and supporters were beaten by police last year in an abortive anti-government protest in the capital Harare.
Posted by:tipper

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