MDC says will not meet Mbeki

The MDC says it will not meet President Thabo Mbeki

Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says it will not meet with President Thabo Mbeki during his visit to Harare. Spokesperson for MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, George Sibotshiwe, has also reiterated his party's demand that Mbeki step down as mediator in Zimbabwe's political crisis.

Mbeki has arrived in Harare for talks with stakeholders. He was met at the airport by President Robert Mugabe.

The talks are expected to centre on a possible formation of a government of national unity, and the reports of violence in the country since the March 29 elections. It's Mbeki's second visit to the country, since the elections.

Mbeki drew widespread criticism during his last trip to Zimbabwe, when he said there was no crisis. Violence has been escalating in the country with more than 100 schools closed and teachers, who were election agents, attacked.

Run-off
Tsvangirai's MDC is yet to announce whether its leader will take part in the second round. The MDC insists that it won an overall majority in the first round of voting.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission results, released last Friday, showed that Tsvangirai won 47.9 % against 43.2 % for Mugabe's Zanu-PF.

Pressure is mounting on Zimbabwe to admit foreign observers to oversee a presidential election run-off amid fresh claims that pro-government militias are deliberately instilling terror.

The opposition MDC says 30 supporters have now been killed and a union chief said 40 000 farm workers and their dependents have been made homeless, although the authorities have played down the levels of violence.