Southern African leaders opened a summit on Zimbabwe in Johannesburg today and hope to break a deadlock over the allocation of cabinet posts in a power-sharing government.
The 15-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) meeting is trying to end the impasse between President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and put into effect a power-sharing deal reached in September.
South African President Kgalema Motlanthe said in opening remarks that the agreement signed by Zimbabwe's political rivals was the only hope for the country to revive its collapsed economy.
"The historical agreement signed on the 15th of September is the only vehicle to help Zimbabweans (with) their economic challenges," Mr Motlanthe told the summit, which is being attended by Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai.
Mr Motlanthe said there was some disappointment that the Zimbabwean parties had not agreed how to allocate cabinet posts. "We hope the parties will show political maturity by putting the interest of the people of Zimbabwe first," he said.
South Africa's government has said it will take a tough stand at the summit - a sharp change from the style of former President Thabo Mbeki, the official mediator whose policy of quiet diplomacy was criticised as ineffective.
It is not clear what practical steps the SADC could take to force an agreement on the two rivals.
Past meetings of regional heads of state have failed to produce a breakthrough, and there were signs that the parties may face another round of difficult negotiations.
Mr Tsvangirai's MDC said last week that Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party had put a "full stop" to negotiations on forming a government by carrying out what it said was widespread violence.
Zimbabwean state media reported on Sunday that Mr Mugabe's government would not change its stance on key positions in a power-sharing cabinet and that the opposition should accept joint control of the interior ministry.
Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told the state-run Sunday Mailthe deadlock would end only if Mr Tsvangirai agreed to joint control of the ministry, which oversees the police.
But Mr Tsvangirai, who would become prime minister under the power-sharing deal, has accused Zanu-PF of trying to seize the lion's share of important ministries and relegating the MDC to the role of junior partner.
Establishing a unity government is seen as critical to reversing economic meltdown in Zimbabwe, where inflation is officially 231 million per cent, and the cost of bread is doubling every week.
Zimbabweans are struggling to survive amid widespread shortages of meat, milk and other basic commodities as a result of the collapse of the agricultural sector. The country is dependent on food handouts, and malnutrition is on the rise.
Reuters