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Is there a Deal?
I have been in Harare for a few days and therefore been away from my desk.
However just back in paradise and thought I should pen a short note to you
all to bring you up to date with all that is going on in our Capital City. I
expect this will be public knowledge shortly and that you will hear via the
media what has now been agreed.
First, it looks as if a deal might actually emerge from the present round of
negotiations. They have been tough - I saw Tendai Biti yesterday and he
looked as if an entire herd of buffalo had run over him! President
Tsvangirai looked as fresh as a daisy despite the pressure - his resilience
is legendary. They told me that a deal was possible and said they had put
forward proposals the previous day that might break the deadlock.
I cannot disclose the details for obvious reasons but I would just say that
while we have conceded some ground, the fundamentals have been protected and
are in place - can we make the agreement work? That depends on everyone.
We should hear today that a deal is in place - perhaps on Friday and a
signing ceremony will take place shortly thereafter. Then we have a mountain
to climb it terms of putting the country back together. I can also say,
without disclosing anything that I should not disclose, that we have been
hard at work for many months preparing for this moment. I think we are just
about ready and I think the situation is very exciting.
Certainly this time round the commitment of President Mbeki has been total
and he has said he is here until this deal is closed. I have had a bottle of
the bubbly stuff since 2000; I think its time to put it on ice.
Eddie Cross
Bulawayo, 11th September 2008
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