ZIMBABWE: South African President Thabo Mbeki holds talks with veteran President Robert Mugabe about the country's disputed elections

Record ID: 861243

  • Title: ZIMBABWE: South African President Thabo Mbeki holds talks with veteran President Robert Mugabe about the country's disputed elections
  • Date: 10th May 2008
  • Summary: (W4) HARARE, ZIMBABWE, (MAY 09, 2008), (REUTERS) PRESIDENT MBEKI GREETING MILITARY OFFICIALS MBEKI AND MUGABE HUGGING AS HE'S ABOUT TO DEPART PRESIDENT MBEKI BOARDING PLANE
  • Embargoed: 25th May 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Zimbabwe
  • City:
  • Country: Zimbabwe
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA6HU85783FYGFGBC9S95HZXYEQ
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Mediator Mbeki departs after holding talks with Mugabe on poll crisis.
    Mediator and South African leader Thabo Mbeki held talks with President Robert Mugabe on Friday on Zimbabwe's disputed election, officials said, ahead of a possible run-off that has raised concerns of further violence.
    Both Mbeki and Mugabe did not comment to the media about their meeting.
    Mbeki, whose "soft diplomacy" approach towards Zimbabwe's crisis has drawn criticism at home and abroad, met with Mugabe for three hours, said the officials. They did not elaborate.
    He did not discuss the post-election turmoil with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) as well, party officials said.
    MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who left Zimbabwe shortly after the March elections, says he won the presidential poll outright and his party says it is not planning to participate in a run-off. Tsvangirai has yet to give a final answer on whether he will contest. If he does not take part in the run-off, then the 84-year-old Mugabe will automatically win. Mugabe has ruled since independence in 1980.
    The MDC is expected to announce their decision on whether to take part in a run-off at a news conference in Pretoria on Saturday at around 0800 GMT.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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