South African President Thabo Mbeki held talks in the Zimbabwean capital Harare with President Robert Mugabe and the leader of a splinter faction of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, Arthur Mutambara, South African radio was monitored by DPA as reporting. The previously unannounced talks apparently did not include Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the biggest MDC faction. Mbeki is the 14-nation Southern African Development Community's (SADC) mediator in Zimbabwe. Earlier this week a summit of African Union heads of state called on Mugabe and Tsvangirai to form a government of national unity. Tsvangirai had said the MDC would not enter talks until the AU sent an envoy to Zimbabwe. The MDC has accused Mbeki of pro-Mugabe bias.
