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Maputo. — Former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano yesterday urged the country’s largest opposition party Renamo and its leader, Afonso Dhalkama, to hold face-to-face talks with President Armando Guebuza, in a bid to resolve the Southern African nation’s political crisis.
“It is only in this way that they can resolve the problems,” Chissano told reporters in Maputo, adding that considering Renamo’s demand for local and international observers’ presence during negotiations between the two sides, “the Mozambicans can resolve problems without international observers”.
Calls have been made from the Mozambican society for the two men to hold direct talks to find a resolution for their differences on all levels.
The government on Sunday issued a communique, expressing its openness to return to the negotiating table about the modalities on the participation of the observers at the talks, while Renamo didn’t show up for another dialogue session called by the government yesterday morning.
The talks between the Frelimo-led government and the former rebel movement have been going on since last March, but until now remain fruitless.
The government only accepted Mozambican observers at the negotiations and has appointed Bishop of Maputo, Dinis Sengulane, and the president of the country’s Politechnical University, Lourenco do Rosario, as observers.
Renamo has been boycotting the negotiations since last year, and the whereabouts of its leader Dhlakama, who fled from Sofala’s headquarter last October when the government forces stormed it, are still not known.
Renamo’s main issue is amendment of the current electoral law, which they believe is in the Frelimo government’s favour.
The two sides fought each other in a 16-year civil war after Mozambique’s independence in 1975, and finally signed a peace agreement in Rome in 1992. — Xinhua
Online Reporter