Accept I won or there will be no talks, MDC chief tells Mugabe

Published on Wednesday 2 July 2008 22:27

THE Zimbabwean opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, has rejected talks on a unity government, saying the president, Robert Mugabe, must first stop the violence and accept him as the rightful election winner.

African Union leaders called at a summit on Tuesday for the two sides to negotiate to end the crisis after Mr Mugabe's re-election in a run-off ballot that was boycotted by the opposition and dismissed by much of the world as a sham.

Mr Tsvangirai, leader of the MDC, who won the first-round vote in March, pulled out of the election after attacks on his supporters. Yesterday, he said: "The conditions prevailing in Zimbabwe are not conducive to negotiations. If dialogue is to be initiated, it is essential that Zanu-PF (the ruling party] stops the violence, halts the persecution of MDC leaders and supporters."

Mr Tsvangirai said talks had to be based on recognising only the first round vote.

Mr Mugabe's officials earlier welcomed the AU call for talks on a power-sharing government, saying that was "in conformity" with what Mr Mugabe had suggested.