Zimbabwe leaders 'to sign deal'

Mediator Thabo Mbeki was welcomed at Harare's airport by Robert Mugabe

Zimbabwe's ruling party and opposition are due to sign a deal outlining a framework for talks on the country's political crisis, both sides say.

President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai are both at the hotel where they are due to meet for the first time in 10 years.

South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki is also in Harare to witness the deal, which should open the way for talks.

The two sides are locked in a dispute over presidential elections.

Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai last met in 1998 and have never done so as president and leader of the opposition.

The deal comes on the day that a new banknote is issued, for 100bn Zimbabwe dollars - the latest sign of the country's economic meltdown.

This is not quite enough to buy a loaf of bread and is worth less than US$1. The official inflation rate is 2.2m%.

We want a government that creates a platform for us to democratise our society, in order for us to have a genuinely free and fair election George Sibotshiwe, MDC Zimbabwe opposition MPs in hiding Zimbabwe issues Z$100bn note

The political agreement was due to be signed last week but Mr Tsvangirai pulled out.

Both sides claim to have won the presidential elections.

Mr Tsvangirai garnered more votes in the initial presidential poll - but election officials said there was no outright winner and called for a second round.

Mr Mugabe won the run-off - but he was the only candidate after Mr Tsvangirai withdrew, accusing the government of mounting a campaign of violence against his supporters.

First step

"The signing will take place this afternoon," Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told AFP news agency.

Opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) officials also say they expect the agreement to be signed on Monday.

PRECONDITIONS FOR TALKS MDC: End to political violence Release of supporters Resumption of aid Swearing in of MPs Zanu-PF: Mugabe recognised as president

The BBC's Jonah Fisher, in Johannesburg, says the opposition has insisted that the signing ceremony is not held at State House and should be low-key. It is due to be held in a five-star hotel.

Our correspondent also notes that the five-page agreement does not go into the details of a possible power-sharing arrangement, which some see as the only way out of Zimbabwe's political and economic crisis - it is merely the starting point for substantive talks.

The document does not mention the central issue of Mr Mugabe's future.

Mr Mugabe insists that he must be recognised as president - a position rejected by the MDC, which accuses him of using violence to ensure that he won the run-off.

The MDC wants some kind of "transitional authority" to organise new, internationally-monitored elections.

Our correspondent says the deal is being seen as an important step forward, but only the first step of a difficult process.

New elections

He says that the fact that the African Union (AU) and the United Nations joined the South African mediation efforts was crucial in persuading the MDC to agree to talk.

Several senior African diplomats have joined the Zimbabwe mediation effort

The MDC accuses the South African president of being biased in favour of Mr Mugabe, and Mr Tsvangirai had asked for another envoy to replace him.

On Friday, it was announced that a group of senior diplomats, drawn from the UN, AU and the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), would help Mr Mbeki.

One of those was the UN's envoy to Zimbabwe, Haile Menkerios, who said he believed the two men had agreed a draft memorandum of understanding setting out the terms under which they could enter direct negotiations.

But he said both men would have to sign the document to "clear the way" for talks.

The MDC still has several conditions to be met before starting substantive talks with Mr Mugabe.

Party spokesman George Sibotshiwe told the BBC that future talks would remain conditional on a complete cessation of violence and the release of all political prisoners.

"We want a government that creates a platform for us to democratise our society, in order for us to have a genuinely free and fair election," he said.

The MDC says at least 120 of its supporters have been killed, about 5,000 abducted and 200,000 forced from their homes since the first round of the elections, in a campaign of violence by pro-Mugabe militias and the army.

Cabinet ministers and military officials have denied the charges.