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S. Africa's Zuma Pushes Zimbabwe Unity Gov't Leaders to Settle Differences


South African President Jacob Zuma, on a state visit to Zimbabwe which includes mediation of differences in its unity government, said Friday that while Harare is doing well in certain areas, full implementation of the Global Political Agreement is needed to quicken recovery.

Correspondent Irwin Chifera reported that since arriving in Harare late Thursday, Mr. Zuma has been engaging unity government principals though sources in Pretoria and Harare said he did not propose to resolve the issues long troubling the "inclusive" government.

Mr. Zuma met separately Thursday evening with President Robert Mugabe of the long-ruling ZANU-PF party, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change's main formation, and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, head of a rival MDC branch.

The South African president met with all three Friday at Harare's Rainbow Towers Hotel.

The MDC handed Mr. Zuma a dossier detailing what it calls ZANU-PF breaches of the Global Political Agreement, among them allegedly arbitrary arrests of MDC members and President Mugabe's unilateral 2008 appointments of the Reserve Bank chief and attorney general.

Political sources said President Mugabe told Mr. Zuma all is well in the government, saying the major stumbling block at this point is continuing Western sanctions.

Mr. Zuma asked the principals to meet without him Monday to finally resolve their disputes as to the Reserve Bank and the Office of the Attorney General, as well as the swearing in of provincial governors and other senior officials including Tsvangirai MDC Treasurer Roy Bennett – named deputy agriculture minister in February but not yet sworn in.

Speaking at a state dinner Thursday evening hosted by Mr Mugabe, the South African leader expressed his confidence that the remaining issues can be resolved.

Cape Town-based political analyst Glen Mpani told reporter Blessing Zulu of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that ZANU-PF perceives a threat in the issues raised by the MDC.

More reports from VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe...

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