Zimbabwe's MDC, ruling party start full crisis talks

By Marius Bosch

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Senior negotiators from Zimbabwe's main opposition MDC and the ruling ZANU-PF party began talks on Thursday and a report indicated they were close to reaching a deal on forming a unity government.

The talks were under way on Thursday, President Thabo Mbeki's spokesman Mukoni Ratshitanga said. Senior Movement for Democratic Change officials and two Zimbabwean cabinet ministers were leading the rival negotiating teams meeting at an undisclosed venue around the South African capital Pretoria.

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

Ratshitanga said even if negotiators missed a two-week deadline set under the framework agreement, it did not mean the end of talks.

"It does not mean if the talks are not done in two weeks, that the talks will collapse," he said.

The main aim of the Pretoria talks will be the creation of a government of national unity, but the two sides differ on who should lead it and how long it should stay in power.

South African financial daily Business Day reported on Thursday that the two sides are close to reaching a deal but still need to iron out the final details.

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