Mbeki heads to Harare for talks wrap-up

HARARE (AFP) - South African President Thabo Mbeki heads to Harare Saturday for meetings with the country’s political rivals as the parties draw closer to a power-sharing deal to end Zimbabwe’s political and economic crises.

The Herald newspaper quoted President Robert Mugabe’s spokesman George Charamba as saying Mbeki’s visit was “to hold consultations with the principals of negotiations.”

“This is an important milestone that has been registered in the inter-party dialogue,” Charamba was reported as saying. “He is going to meet the three principals basically to update them on the progress made so far and to consult on how to take the dialogue forward.