South African leader Mbeki visits Zimbabwe; concerns over fighting

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The Zimbabwean opposition said Friday that no one from the party would meet with visiting South African President Thabo Mbeki, who it says should be replaced as mediator in the country's political crisis. President Robert Mugabe met Mbeki on Friday on the South African leader's third visit as mediator on behalf of the Southern African Development Community. The two men, wearing flower garlands, laughed at the airport as they walked hand-in-hand from Mbeki's aircraft. They did not speak with reporters, but later posed for photographs in Mugabe's residence, State House, where they held a meeting lasting nearly four hours. Mbeki left later Friday. However no one from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change met with Mbeki, as they believe he is biased toward Mugabe, opposition spokesman George Sibotshiwe said.