http://www.wikio.co.uk/blog/search/George Sibotshiwe Wikio Blogs - search: George Sibotshiwe wikio wikio http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68091415 source: International Herald Tribune International Herald Tribune, Reuters Published: August 17, 2008 JOHANNESBURG: A meeting of southern African leaders ended Sunday without a power-sharing agreement being reached between Zimbabwe’s ruling party and the main opposition, an opposition spokesman said Sunday, but President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa said regional leaders would continue the negotiations. President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF and [...] Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:38:15 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68091415 Palapye.com 2008-08-18T07:38:15Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68001743 source: International Herald Tribune The Associated Press Published: August 15, 2008 JOHANNESBURG: When President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe attends a summit meeting here over the weekend he will face protests and pressure to surrender at least some of his power. Botswana said its president, Seretse Ian Khama, will not attend the southern African summit because Mugabe will be there, [...] Sun, 17 Aug 2008 07:25:17 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68001743 Palapye.com 2008-08-17T07:25:17Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=67888272 Talks between Zimbabwe’s political rivals will resume Friday afternoon and continue on the fringes of this weekend’s regional summit in Johannesburg, George Sibotshiwe, the spokesman for Zimbabwe’s opposition leader, said Friday. Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:15:02 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=67888272 2008-08-15T19:15:02Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=65846850 JOHANNESBURG – Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Monday arrived in South Africa, the venue of power-sharing talks between his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party and President Robert Mugabe’s ruling ZANU PF party. Tsvangirai’s spokesman George Sibotshiwe confirmed the visit but sought to distance the opposition chief’s presence in South Africa from the negotiations for a government of national unity that is seen as the best way to end Zimbabwe’s political and economic crisis. “We are here for private business," Sibotshiwe told the media, when asked about the purpose of Tsvangirai’s visit. South African President Thabo Mbeki is chief mediator of the talks between Zimbabwe’s feuding political parties that began last week and are expected to agree on a structure for a government of national unity and to set out the objectives and priorities for the new government. Negotiators will also tackle the issue of a new constitution for Zimbabwe, restoration of economic stability and growth, land reform and Western sanctions imposed on Mugabe and his top officials. However, political analysts say the biggest obstacle in the way of the talks remains the issue of what roles Mugabe and Tsvangirai will play in the national unity government. ZANU PF insists that Mugabe should remain as executive president, while Tsvangirai becomes prime minister or a vice-president, while on the other hand the MDC says its leader should become executive prime minister of the unity government with Mugabe serving as a titular president. The parties also differ sharply over land reform, Western sanctions imposed on Mugabe’s government and the thorny question of what to do with ZANU PF hardliners and military commanders accused of committing political violence and killing at least 120 MDC supporters and displacing 200 000 others since March. However, Mbeki told the South African Broadcasting Corporation on Monday that ZANU PF and MDC were both fully committed to resolving differences between themselves in order to work a political settlement to rescue their country from crisis. The South African leader, who won had been criticised for his handling of the Zimbabwe crisis but has in recent weeks won praises after getting Mugabe and Tsvangirai to sign an agreement to talk, said the Zimbabwean parties were looking to finishing negotiations as “speedily as possible”. Mbeki said: “In our own view, they (Zimbabwean parties) are demonstrating the will to complete this process as speedily as possible and that every body recognises the importance of moving the process forward very quickly.” He said the Zimbabwean parties were working “quite hard” to conclude talks – that began last Thursday – within the two-week deadline. – ZimOnline Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:06:00 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=65846850 daniel molokele 2008-07-28T22:06:00Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=64913857 Zimbabwe opposition wants Mbeki to address concerns (Reuters) The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) spokesperson George Sibotshiwe said on Sunday, that Morgan Tsvangirai leader of the MDC would not sign an accord until mediator South African President Thabo Mbeki has addressed concerns with parts of the accord. “I think in principle the decision is to sign the [...] Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:12:06 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=64913857 Link Round-up 2008-07-21T06:12:06Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=64980940 Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai shook hands at their first meeting in 10 years By BIODUN IGINLA, BBC News, New York, NY President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai have signed a deal outlining a framework for talks on Zimbabwe’s political crisis. The pair - who were filmed shaking hands at their meeting in the [...] Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:35:40 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=64980940 Biodun Iginla 2008-07-21T15:35:40Z