Harare — Negotiations between Zimbabwe's parties to ensure the full implementation of the Global Political Agreement have shown encouraging signs of progress, Sadc facilitator and South African President Jacob Zuma has said.
In an interview with South Africa's media on Sunday, President Zuma expressed confidence that Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations that formed the inclusive Government last year would resolve their differences soon.
Negotiations for the full implementation of the GPA issues are expected to continue early next week after being adjourned in December last year.
However, President Zuma said he was happy that the parties were talking and indicated that he would soon present a report to the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security.
"Zimbabweans have met, they have discussed issues, they have made progress. So to some degree there's work going on in Zimbabwe, which gives hope that we will resolve matters," he said.
The South African leader, who has appointed a facilitation team to work with negotiators from the three political parties, said only a few issues were still outstanding.
President Zuma, however, did not indicate when the Sadc Troika would meet to discuss progress made in the Zimbabwe talks.
The facilitation team of President Zuma's international relations adviser Ms Lindiwe Zulu and former cabinet ministers Mr Charles Nqakula and Mr Mac Maharaj have said they were happy with progress made so far.
Ms Zulu was quoted in international media as saying the negotiations have started yielding positive results.
The facilitation team was in Zimbabwe in December last year when they received a report from the parties' negotiating teams.
The facilitators were expected to hand over the report to President Zuma, who would in turn discuss progress with his Mozambican counterpart, President Armando Guebuza, the Sadc Troika chairman.
The principals to the GPA -- President Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara --urged Zimbabweans to be patient while the parties negotiated their positions.
* Herald
