Zimbabwe rivals to start full talks on Thursday

By Stella Mapenzauswa

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's opposition MDC and President Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF will begin negotiations on a power-sharing deal in earnest on Thursday, officials said on Wednesday.

The rivals opened preliminary talks on Tuesday, South African President Thabo Mbeki's spokesman said, but he declined to say what was discussed.

"I won't talk about what it is. I will say talks resumed, and talks are continuing," Mukoni Ratshitanga said. "They have started more or less. (They will be) in earnest tomorrow."

Mbeki, mediating in the crisis, secured a framework deal between Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan 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.

Pressure for power-sharing has come from regional states concerned by the political and economic crisis that has forced millions of refugees to flee to Zimbabwe's neighbours.

Zimbabwe's state-run Herald newspaper said Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Public Services Minister Nicholas Goche would represent ZANU-PF at negotiations, while MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti and Deputy Treasurer Elton Mangoma would attend for Tsvangirai's party.

A splinter faction of the MDC would also have two negotiators at the talks.

The MDC says 120 of its supporters have been killed since a first round of elections on March 29, in which Tsvangirai beat Mugabe but without the absolute majority to avoid a run-off. Mugabe blames the opposition for the bloodshed.