By Jennifer M. Haralambides
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

HARARE, Zimbabwe – The former opposition leader, Mogan Tsvangirai, who has temporarily withdrawn from the unity government, and President Robert Mugabe recently held a four-hour meeting for the first time since the split.

Prime Minister Tsvangirai met with Mugabe for the first time since the prime minister pulled out of the unity government on October 16th.   Tsvangirai cited a lack of co-operation as the main reason for the split.  He also claims that Mugabe’s persistent human rights abuses support his reason for withdrawal from the unity government.

Sources say that these two leaders remain “poles apart” regarding the key unity government issues.

“The principals met.  Sadly and tragically the stalemate continues . . . we are poles apart on fundamental issues,” said Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) spokesman Nelson Chamisa.

Although Mugabe’s spokesman said that that this was going to be a “regular Monday meeting,” Tsvangirai spokesman James Maridadi said, “This is not a regular meeting.  The meeting will discuss the issue of disengagement and the other outstanding issues related to the Global Political Agreement.”

After the meeting the leaders did not make any comments on how it went.  But Maridadi said that Tsvangirai would issue a statement this coming Tuesday.

Tsvangirai’s movement, which was in opposition in Zimbabwe for many years, may be meeting in Harare later this week with the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) to try to break the deadlock between the two groups.

The MDC leader said that he will only resume cooperation in the unity government once all the outstanding issues regarding the Global Political Agreement are resolved.  These issues include wrangles over key posts and a crackdown on his supporters.

On Saturday, Mugabe was quoted in the state-run Herald newspaper vowing not to give in to the MDC demands, “We will not do that.  They can go to any summit, any part of the world to appeal.  That will not happen,” he was quoted.

A splinter faction from the MDC said that at the very least – the latest talks between Mugabe and Tsvangirai are a step in the right direction regardless of whether or not a resolution was reached.

“At least now they are talking.  These people were not talking.  We are hopeful that a solution will be found eventually,” said spokesman Edwin Mushoriwa.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Zimbabwe Leaders “Poles Apart” as Unity Talks Stall – 26 October 2009

AP – Zimbabwe Leaders in Split Unity Government Meet – 26 October 2009

BBC – Zimbabwe Talks End “Without Deal” – 26 October 2009

VOA – Top-Level Meeting Fails to Resolve Deadlock in Zimbabwe Unity Government – 26 October 2009