Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.
October 17, 2008

Zimbabwe Power-Sharing Talks Enter Fourth Day
---------------------------------------------

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1EC7312:A6F02AD83191E1603C098EADDCB3AC143CF5CDEF8FC051DA&
 
After Thursday's talks, both sides said they were deadlocked over how to
share various ministries 
Zimbabwe's political rivals are due to begin a fourth day of talks
Friday on a power-sharing deal to form a unity government. After
Thursday's talks, both sides said they were deadlocked over how to share
various ministries. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe arrives at hotel
in Harare on October 15, 2008 for the second day of talks, which are
being mediated by former South African President Thabo Mbeki Last
week, President Robert Mugabe unilaterally gave his ZANU-PF party
several key Cabinet positions that oversee the military, police and
foreign affairs. State controlled media Friday said ZANU-PF
members are accusing main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai of
deliberately stalling the talks in an effort to bring the U.N. into the
negotiations. An opposition spokesman, Nelson Chamisa, says the
party is asking the mediator of the talks, former South African
President Thabo Mbeki, to help find a creative way of breaking the
deadlock. Thursday, Zimbabwe's state media said President
Mugabe may alter the Cabinet lineup he announced last week in an effort
to save the power-sharing deal. Mr. Mbeki helped broker the original
deal, meant to end the crisis stemming from Zimbabwe's disputed
presidential elections. The
deal, reached in September, calls for ZANU-PF to control 15 ministries,
with the two factions of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change
getting 16. Mr. Mugabe would remain as president, with Tsvangirai
becoming prime minister. The sides are under pressure to reach a
final deal so Zimbabwe can start to recover from its deep economic
crisis. The country has 80 percent unemployment and an inflation rate
officially estimated at 231 million percent. Witnesses are reporting
severe food shortages nationwide, especially in the south.


.