Zimbabwe's inter-party talks between the ruling Zanu-PF and the two opposition MDC formations have gathered momentum in South Africa amid reports that the parties have agreed on a working framework that could lead to the drafting of a memorandum of engagement this week.
According to local newspaper Sunday News, once the memorandum of engagement has been drafted, it will be submitted to the parties' principals, who will either endorse or reject it.
Highly placed sources in South Africa said the memorandum of engagement would set out the terms for the talks, the time frame, the composition of the negotiating teams and the agenda for negotiations.
The sources said the working framework that has been agreed so far removes the sticking points between the negotiating parties and paves way for the start of serious talks.
The talks opened in Pretoria on Thursday with South African officials representing President Thabo Mbeki also in attendance.
The ruling Zanu-PF is being represented by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Patrick Chinamasa and the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Nicholas Goche, while the MDC-M formation is being represented by its secretary-general Welshman Ncube and his deputy Priscilla Misihairabwi Mushonga. The MDC-T formation led by Morgan Tsvangirai is being represented by its secretary-general Tendai Biti, and deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma.
The talks are being held under a SADC-backed initiative in which President Mbeki is the chief mediator.
Although Tsvangirai's formation boycotted inter-party talks held at State House last Saturday, it finally sent a delegation to take part in the negotiations in South Africa.
Biti, who is facing treason charges, is attending the talks after his passport was released under relaxed bail conditions.
Chinamasa had said he was confident that the negotiating parties would find solutions to the country's problems if Britain and the United States did not interfere with the process.
(Xinhua News Agency July 14, 2008)
