Zimbabwe Talks Are One Step Away From Collapse

South African President Thabo Mbeki (R) is welcomed on arrival at Harare International airport by Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe August 9 2008. Mbeki, the region's Zimbabwe mediator, is in Harare and is due to take part in meetings aimed at resolving the crisis resulting from Mugabe's victory in a presidential election in June that was boycotted by the opposition and widely condemned abroad. Picture taken August 9. (Philimon Bulawayo - /Reuters)

Confusion Reigns In Zimbabwe Talks -- Yahoo News/AP

HARARE, Zimbabwe - A third day of talks over Zimbabwe's governance wound up on a conflicting note Tuesday amid reports that President Robert Mugabe and the leader of an opposition faction had reached a power-sharing agreement.

Shortly after the talks concluded, officials from Mugabe's party and the main opposition movement said the two sides had agreed on the plan, but a spokesman for the splinter group later denied the claim.

The reported agreement excludes Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the main Movement for Democratic Change. He won the first round of presidential elections in March but boycotted the runoff to protest widespread violence against opposition supporters.

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More News On Zimbabwe

Mugabe clings to power after reaching coalition deal with breakaway MDC faction -- The Guardian
Reports of Side Deal in Zimbabwe -- New York Times
Mugabe clings on in pact with MDC faction -- Financial Times
Mugabe, MDC Breakaway Leader Sign Deal, Zanu-PF Says (Update1) -- Bloomberg
Zimbabweans Express Disappointment after Opposition Leader Walks Out of Peace Talks -- Voice Of America
Zimbabwe's MDC faction denies deal signed with Mugabe -- Reuters
Splinter group denies Zimbabwe deal -- The Age
FACTBOX: Zimbabwe: its people, land and economy -- Reuters

My Comment: A considerable amount of confusion is coming out from the news services .... and this is not a good sign. I am not surprise that Robert Mugabe and his friends are trying their best to keep power .... and also be positioned to enjoy the benefits that foreign aid and open borders will give to them if a political negotiated settlement is reached.

It is not going to happen. But in the interim we must go through this phase in believing that we are actually accomplishing something. Unfortunately, instability and suffering will be the end product of this charade.

Prairie Pundit sums it up best:

This deal condemns Zimbabwe to more misrule by the most inept leader in the history of governments. Mugabe's name will become a metaphor for governmental incompetence. It will also become a metaphor for despots. If Mbeki thinks this gets South Africa off the hook he is as goofy as Mugabe.