Zimbabwe rivals may reach final deal soon - report

By Marius Bosch

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's opposition MDC and the ruling ZANU-PF party are close to reaching a deal on a unity government but the two sides still need to iron out the final details, a South African newspaper reported on Thursday.

Talks between President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai to end a political crisis are due to start in South Africa on Thursday.

South African financial daily Business Day, citing sources in both parties and people familiar with the talks, said a final settlement can be reached soon as the rival parties had already agreed on many issues on the agenda.

"They have agreed on most of the issues, except mainly the framework for a new government. The deal is basically done, but what remains are a few issues of detail, implementation and logistics," Business Day quoted a source as saying.

Zimbabwean political analyst Eldred Masunungure said a breakthrough in talks was possible as the rival parties had been talking under mediation led by South African President Thabo Mbeki since March last year.

"A breakthrough is a reasonable possibility, even in two weeks. This is essentially the second phase of the SADC-mediated process, the first phase having started in March 2007," Masunungure said.

Preliminary talks began on Tuesday after Mbeki secured a framework deal between Mugabe and Tsvangirai on Monday for talks to end the deadlock since Mugabe's re-election on June 27 in a poll boycotted by the opposition because of violence.

Mbeki was appointed by regional grouping the Southern African Development Community to mediate between the Zimbabwean parties. He had been increasingly criticised, especially by the MDC, which accused him of taking too soft a line with Mugabe.