(Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's inter-party talks on power sharing has been suspended indefinitely after Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the major faction of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), requested time to consider some of the proposals. This was announced by South African President Thabo Mbeki at a press conference in Harare, before he left for Angola to brief President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, chairperson of the Southern African Development Community's Organ on Politics and Security, on the development in the talks, according to a report by New Ziana on Wednesday. Mbeki refused to disclose the proposals that Tsvangirai would like to consider, saying it was against the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding that the parties signed, which forbade them to discuss the issues in public. "It is about power sharing," he said.
He said the major issues that the three principals -- President Robert Mugabe, leader of the ruling ZANU-PF party, Tsvangirai, and Arthur Mutambara, leader of the MDC's smaller fraction, had been discussing over the past four days were to do with the constitution of a government of national unity such as allocation of cabinet portfolios.
| They're arguing over how to split the boodle, assuming there is one still. |
President Mbeki dismissed reports that the talks had collapsed and instead expressed optimism that they would succeed, saying the sticking points would be resolved. He also dismissed reports that President Mugabe and Mutambara had signed a deal, saying he did not witness the signing ceremony.
| Which doesn't mean it didn't take place. |
Mutambara, who left after Tsvangirai, also told journalists to wait for Mbeki. Mugabe, however, chose to be philosophical about the issue and refused to confirm fears that the talks had collapsed. "The talks will never collapse as long as we have tongues (to talk)," he was quoted as saying.
| "In fact, I intend for the talks to continue until I'm dead, and possibly for a few years after that." |
Mbeki said, as a neighbor, South Africa was aware of the difficulties that the people of Zimbabwe were experiencing and was obliged to assist. "Even if it means spending six months in Zimbabwe then we will do it as long as it will bring an end to the challenges that the country is experiencing," he said.
Mbeki implored outsiders to give Zimbabweans an opportunity to resolve their challenges, saying he was convinced that they could do so if left alone. "Let us give the Zimbabwean leaders breathing space to resolve their differences," he was quoted as saying.