Tsvangirai retreats again into embassy refuge

Zimbabwe's opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, emerged briefly yesterday from his sanctuary at the Dutch embassy in Harare to call for political negotiations before tomorrow's presidential run-off, saying his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) would "not have anything to do" with a government that emerged from a poll from which he has withdrawn.

Mr Tsvangirai, who took refuge in the embassy last weekend after being warned soldiers were looking for him, gave a press conference at his home, in which he also called for the first time for the African Union, backed by the UN, to steer Zimbabwe towards a transitional government.

But he said talks could not begin until there was an end to attacks on his supporters by militias loyal to Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party, and a release of "political prisoners", including the MDC secretary-general, Tendai Biti, who was arrested on his return to the country from South Africa earlier this month and charged with treason.

"What is important is that both parties must realise the country is burning and the only way is to sit down and find a way out of it," said Mr Tsvangirai. "The election is not a solution. What is a solution is some sort of transitional process to address the critical issues facing the country."

He said the proposed AU mediation could not be "a continuation of talks, and talks about talks, that have been largely fruitless for several years. The time for actions is now."

Although the MDC leader was reported to be relaxed during the press conference, he later unexpectedly returned to the Dutch mission. About 300 MDC supporters also sought refuge yesterday at the South African embassy in Harare. A spokesman at the foreign affairs ministry in Pretoria said South Africa's ambassador to Zimbabwe and his staff were in talks with the group.

Mr Tsvangirai's return to the Dutch embassy was apparently triggered by the arrest of two members of his private security team hired from South Africa. The pair's private company had been leading Mr Tsvangirai's security arrangements after most of his bodyguards were forced to flee Zimbabwe.

In calling on the AU to step in, Mr Tsvangirai is seeking to exploit the concern of leaders such as Kenya's Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, who said Zimbabwe was "a disaster in the making". Kenya is not in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which has handled mediation efforts until now. The MDC leader has rejected SADC's designated negotiator, South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki, accusing him of bias in Mr Mugabe's favour.

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