Zuma encouraged by concessions
in [Physics]
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From: as on 4 Aug 2010 18:03 Zuma encouraged by �concessions� http://www.businessday.co.za/ DUMISANI MULEYA Published: 2010/03/19 06:52:27 AM President Jacob Zuma poses for a photograph with Zimbabwe�s President Mugabe in the capital Harare. Photo: REUTERS PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma yesterday managed to squeeze a raft of concessions from Zimbabwe�s rival political parties and their leaders in a bid to resolve the country�s decade-long political crisis which has ruined the economy. Zuma, who spent two hectic working days holed up in a Harare hotel engaged in critical marathon meetings, told journalists after long behind-the- scenes negotiations that the parties had agreed on �a package of measures� to be implemented soon. If the parties stick to the agreement and make progress it would bolster Zuma�s efforts to mediate and keep Harare�s teetering unity government afloat. �The parties have agreed to a package of measures to be implemented concurrently as per the decision of the (Southern African Development Community) Sadc troika in Maputo,� Zuma said. �I believe the implementation of this package will take the process forward substantially.� Zuma said President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara have agreed to get their negotiators to pull out all the stops to resolve the outstanding issues. The negotiators will meet next week and have a March 31 deadline to report back to Zuma, who will then present a comprehensive progress report to the chairman of the Sadc troika, President Armando Guebuza of Mozambique. The negotiators, Patrick Chinamasa and Nicholas Goche for Zanu (PF), Tendai Biti and Elton Mangoma for the main Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) wing and Welshman Ncube and Priscillah Misihairabwi-Mushonga for the smaller MDC faction, would come up with ways of implementing the measures. They will work with Zuma�s facilitators Charles Nqakula , Mac Maharaj and Lindiwe Zulu. Informed sources within the negotiating teams and facilitators said the measures referred to proposed solutions to deal with disputes over the appointment of provincial governors, attorney- general Johannes Tomana and Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono, the swearing-in of Deputy Agriculture Minister Roy Bennett and targeted sanctions. As Zuma said the issues would be addressed �concurrently�, Mugabe can no longer claim progress cannot be made until sanctions are removed. The sources said negotiators were tasked to put in place implementation mechanisms and final touches on how to share the governors� positions and when they would be sworn-in, when Bennett should come in, and whether Tomana and Gono should be removed from office in the �national interest�. Procedures to remove economic sanctions and travel bans on Mugabe and his party elite will also be discussed. The Gono and Tomana issue would finally be decided by Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara. Zuma met with Tomana and Gono in a bid to resolve the issue. He also met Zanu (PF) power brokers, Emmerson Mnangagwa and Solomon Mujuru. Mnangagwa and Mujuru lead factions viciously fighting to produce a successor to Mugabe. Zuma�s package also deals with media reforms. On sanctions, the parties are going to work through a cabinet committee established last year. It will approach the European Union, US, Commonwealth countries, multilateral financial institutions and bilateral institutions.
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