Tsvangirai Rejects Calls for Unity Govt

Zimbabwean Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has rejected the African Union’s proposal for the formation of a unity government between his Movement for Democratic Change and President Robert Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PF. Tsvangirai however said any possible negotiations towards a political settlement must be premised on the March 27 first round ballot, which he won, rather that the recent runoff in which President Mugabe was the sole candidate. The MDC leader has also called for a new mediator to broker the negotiations, saying South African President Thabo Mbeki, who is the current mediator, is sympathetic to Mugabe. [PE]