Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has reiterated the ruling ZANU-PF's willingness to hold talks with both factions of the opposition Movement for Democratic Changes (MDC) in the interest of the nation.
"We want our brothers in the MDC to come to us to discuss our problems, but the MDC should be totally local, they should respect our sovereignty and tell us to work together as Zimbabweans," Mugabe said, according to the state-run The Herald Newspaper Friday.
President Robert Mugabe casts his vote on election day in Harare, Friday, June 27, 2008. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)
Voters wait to cast their ballots in Zimbabwe's run-off presidential election in the the capital Harare, June 27, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Mugabe said this while addressing a rally at Chitungwiza Town Center in Harare suburbs on Thursday.
Mugabe made similar statement Tuesday, but said that the presidential run-off must be held before the talks.
He has accused Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the bigger faction of the MDC, of being a puppet supported by Zimbabwe's former colonial ruler Britain and its allies, who Mugabe said are opposed to Zimbabwe's land reform program, under which the government acquired land from white farmers for re-distribution to landless blacks.
Zimbabwe held presidential run-off Friday, despite the official withdrawal of Tsvangirai on Tuesday.
Tsvangirai is taking refuge in the Dutch embassy in Zimbabwe, saying his safety is under threat.
A voter casts his ballot in Zimbabwe's run-off presidential election in the the capital Harare June 27, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Tsvangirai referred his pullout mainly to violence and intimidation against his supporters. But the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said his withdrawal is too late to be of legal effect.
Tsvangirai received 47.9 percent of the votes in the first round of presidential election held on March 29, followed by President Robert Mugabe's 43.2 percent.
An outright winner needs to obtain an absolute majority of the votes, otherwise a run-off needs to be held, according to Zimbabwe's law.
Source: Xinhua
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