Talks Stall, hints of what each side wants

The AFP reports today that the stalled talks have a long way to go to reach a compromise. With Mbeki in Harare to encourage Mugabe to make public statements about his "total committment" to talks, and Morgan Tsvangirai in Senegal to talk to Senegalese President Wade, it isn't difficult to see the main stumbling block. Tsvangirai wants a more serious position for himself in a transitional government, while ZANU-PF wants to create a government of national unity with Tsvangirai as "third vice president".

The article quotes political scientist John Makumbe's views:

" John Makumbe, a political science lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe,
argued that the media coverage was probably accurate.

'Things are not going well. President Mbeki can pretend that everything
is under control. But the body language, even of Mugabe makes it very clear that
there is a deadlock,'he said Thursday in an interview on South Africa's public
broadcaster SA FM.
'I had expected all along that there will be serious
problem on agreeing on a vehicle for transition to democracy; either to adopt a
government of national unity, as canvassed by the ZANU-PF or create a
transitional government, as suggested by the MDC.'"