HARARE, Zimbabwe, July 21, 2008
Zimbabwe Rivals Agree To Talks
Mugabe, Tsvangirai Sign Agreement To Discuss Power-Sharing
-
-
Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai (left) and President Robert Mugabe. (AP)
-
The United Nations Security Council, pictured July 11, 2008, failed to pass sanctions against Zimbabwe in response to that nation's growing political crisis, after vetoes by Russia and China. (U.N. Photo/Devra Berkowitz)
-
-
Photo Essay Runoff In Zimbabwe Widespread voter intimidation and low turnout mark one-candidate presidential runoff.
-
Timeline Zimbabwe History Key dates in the history of the former British colony in southern Africa.
A stern-looking President Robert Mugabe and a beaming Morgan Tsvangirai signed the deal laying out the conditions for talks on a coalition government.
The breakthrough in Harare follows nearly three months of violence that the opposition says left more than 120 dead, thousands injured and tens of thousands homeless.
It is the first time in a decade that the Mugabe and Tsvangirai are meeting face to face.
The United States accused Russia and China earlier this month of standing with Mugabe against his own people, after the two permanent members of the U.N. Security Council vetoed proposed sanctions against Zimbabwe.
The resolution would have imposed an arms embargo on Zimbabwe, an international travel ban and a freeze on the personal assets of Mugabe and 13 other officials.
It also called for the appointment of a U.N. special envoy for Zimbabwe.
The U.S., along with Britain and France, supported the resolution, arguing that sanctions were needed to respond to the violence and intimidation that opposition leaders and international observers said Mugabe and his supporters used to steal the recent presidential election.
Russia, however, claimed the sanctions would have taken the U.N. beyond its mandate, while China argued Zimbabwe should be allowed to resolve its political crisis on its own.
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More From World
Add a Comment
- There all animals.
- Reply to this comment
- yeh right - these idiots will kill themselves even though they sign a peace treaty
- Reply to this comment
- Sharing power? Sure, that''ll work out well...
- Reply to this comment
- Whose going to protect opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai from the old man''s thugs. They have tried to kill him many times in the past.
While these talks drag on thousand''s of Zimbabweans die of starvation and diseases. - Reply to this comment
- Sure starve them into submission this is working out pretty good for every one but the already dead.
- Reply to this comment
