Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said on Wednesday that conditions were not yet right for talks with President Robert Mugabe on forming a unity government to end the violent crisis in the ruined state.Mugabe's officials said they were ready to negotiate after a call by African Union leaders on Tuesday for talks on ending the crisis over the veteran president's re-election in a June 27 one-candidate poll that drew global condemnation.

But Tsvangirai, who boycotted the vote because of attacks on his supporters, told a news conference that conditions were not suitable for talks.

Tsvangirai said the results of a first round of voting on March 29, in which he defeated Mugabe, should be the basis for talks.

Tsvangirai said talks would be meaningless unless the African Union sent a permanent envoy to expand mediation efforts by South African President Thabo Mbeki, criticised for being too soft in his diplomacy with Mugabe.

Zimbabwean Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu welcomed the AU summit resolution calling on the two sides to discuss a unity government.

"The AU resolution is in conformity to what President Mugabe said at his inauguration, when he said we are prepared to talk in order to resolve our problems," Ndlovu told Reuters.

"We are committed to talk, not just with Tsvangirai but to other parties as well." Tsvangirai defeated Mugabe in the presidential vote on March 29 but failed to win an absolute majority. (Additional reporting by Nelson Banya; Writing by Paul Simao and Barry Moody; Editing by Matthew Tost



By Cris Chinaka

From reuters.com