Mbeki in Zimbabwe crisis talks

The two leaders after an April summit on the Congo war

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has held talks about his country's economic crisis and the Congo war with his South African counterpart..

The talks took place in private at Johannesburg airport where President Mugabe stopped off during a trip to an economic conference in Malaysia.

They coincide with mounting pressure on Mr Mugabe both from within Zimbabwe and abroad to abandon what many see as disastrous policies on land seizures and on the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mr Mbeki has frequently stood up for Mr Mugabe in the international arena, but last month issued an unprecedented condemnation of his disregard for the rule of law and his country's economic decline.

Mounting crisis

Mr Mbeki said: "This approach, this occupation of farms, the seizure of farms, the disregard for the rule of law, these things are wrong, these things must be addressed".

The Congolese war drags on, with neither side gaining an advantage

Officials did not say if Mr Mbeki put any of these points to Mr Mugabe during his airport meeting, but confirmed the main topics.

The two leaders "took advantage of the meeting to discuss matters of mutual interest including bilateral relations, the peace process in the Congo and the challenges facing Zimbabwe," said South African Foreign Affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa.

Earlier on Thursday, in his annual budget speech, Zimbabwean Finance Minister Simba Makoni acknowledged that his country's economy was in crisis and was expected to decline further.

Mr Makoni said the economy had been undermined by uncertainty over land reform, the perceived absence of the rule of law and the cost of Zimbabwe's involvement in the Congo war.

Regional contagion

Analysts said months ago that the precipitous decline of Zimbabwe's economy had damaged international perceptions of the economic prospects of southern Africa as a whole, including those of South Africa, a major trading partner of Zimbabwe's.

Correspondents say that President Mugabe's persistance in keeping troops fighting in support of the Congolese government is, on the face of it, baffling as the conflict is highly unpopular, hugely expensive and Zimbabwe has no strategic interests at stake in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

President Mbeki is trying to get the warring parties to implement a peace deal he concluded last month at a summit in Mozambique.