Tsvangirai 'will negotiate with Zanu-PF'
- 00:02:20
- ITN
Tsvangirai 'will negotiate with Zanu-PF'
Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai says he is prepared to negotiate with the ruling Zanu-PF party if political violence ends.The MDC leader has abandoned Friday's planned presidential election run-off, saying he is no longer prepared to play Robert Mugabe's "game".Mr Tsvangirai, who will put forward new proposals by Wednesday on how to take the country forward, said: "We are prepared to negotiate with Zanu-PF but of course it is important that certain principles are accepted before the negotiations take place."One of the preconditions is that this violence against the people must be stopped".Mr Tsvangirai's decision to quit the race followed the blockade of a campaign rally by thousands of pro-government militants and came in the wake of the murders of up to 85 MDC supporters.Foreign Secretary David Miliband is pushing for a "full discussion" on the troubled country in a session of the United Nations security council.He said: "We have reached an absolutely critical moment in the drive by the people of Zimbabwe to rid themselves of the tyrannical rule of Robert Mugabe. He has made, and his thugs have made an election impossible."He said Zimbabwe continued to be "bossed" by the 84-year-old and his henchmen even though it was clear the MDC and Mr Tsvangirai had won the election in March.Earlier, speaking to reporters in the capital Harare, a tired-looking Mr Tsvangirai told reporters a credible election was "impossible", saying: "We can't ask the people to cast their vote on June 27 when that vote will cost their lives. We will no longer participate in this violent sham of an election."We will not play his game."His campaign has been dogged by violence, with tens of thousands of MDC supporters forced to flee their homes, and thousands more beaten and tortured.MDC general secretary Tendai Biti was arrested and charged with treason and Mr Tsvangirai himself was detained several times.The opposition leader called on the United Nations, the European Union and the Southern African regional bloc to intervene.The future of the country looks bleak. and some observers predict a violent backlash from a desperate population.South Africa President Thabo Mbeki is thought to be pressing for further talks between the two parties, in the hope of encouraging a government of national unity.The European Union on Friday threatened to step up sanctions against the regime, while Prime Minister Gordon Brown condemned Mr Mugabe's "criminal cabal".Sanctions currently involve an asset freeze and travel ban for Mr Mugabe and members of his regime, but it is not clear what else could be done without heaping further misery on the beleaguered people.
ITN | June 23, 2008
