Talks on the formation of a power-sharing government in Zimbabwe
failed to end a long stalemate over cabinet posts, the opposition
Movement for Democratic Change said.
The MDC and President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF have been negotiating
since September 15, when an outline deal was reached to end a
political crisis that worsened after Mugabe's re-election unopposed
in an election in June boycotted by the MDC.
Tendai Biti, Secretary General of Morgan Tsvangirai's main MDC
faction, said no progress had been made in talks on Tuesday.
"There's no progress, there's a clear deadlock. We met again today
but couldn't move the process forward," Biti told Reuters.
The MDC said earlier that talks were deadlocked on sharing out all
key ministries. It called for urgent African mediation over the
crisis, which has accelerated Zimbabwe's economic collapse.
ZANU-PF said at the weekend that the dispute centred only on the
finance and home affairs ministries but an MDC statement on Tuesday
rejected this.
The MDC called for help from the Southern African Development
Community (SADC) and the African Union.
The original deal was brokered by Thabo Mbeki, who remains as
SADC mediator despite being ousted as South African
president.
"The facilitator has to come back," Biti said.
Asked if the MDC had made contact with him, Biti said Mbeki is
aware of what is happening.
ZANU-PF officials were not immediately available for comment.
A senior ZANU-PF official said on Monday that Mugabe was expected
to meet Tsvangirai in the next two days in another attempt to break
the deadlock.
No contact
"Considering the fact that it is now exactly 21 days after the
signing of the global agreement, the cabinet deadlock calls for the
urgent help and assistance from SADC and AU as guarantors of the
deal, to unfreeze the impasse," the MDC said.
Under the outline agreement, Mugabe would retain the presidency and
chair the cabinet, while Tsvangirai would head a council of
ministers supervising the cabinet.
Without a breakthrough, Zimbabwe's economy could worsen still
further.
The once-prosperous nation is crumbling under inflation of about
11 million percent - the highest in the world - and chronic food
shortages.
Zimbabweans have to queue for hours, sometimes overnight, to
withdraw money from banks where withdrawal limits have been imposed
by the central bank.
"MDC is concerned with the prolonged and protracted dialogue
considering that the people are dying of hunger, factories closed,
school calendars disrupted, workers not going to work and disease
outbreak," said the MDC.
"The country is at a standstill and the people's patience is
running out, hence the resolution of the impasse is more urgent
than ever before."
