Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, on Wednesday November 26 declared his relationship with the mediator, South Africa's former president Thabo Mbeki, irretrievably broken and said he would not participate in power-sharing talks with Zimbabwe’s leader, Robert Mugabe, until Mr. Mbeki was no longer in charge.

Despite pressure from regional leaders to settle the standoff with Mr. Mugabe, Mr. Tsvangirai said his country’s humanitarian crisis would not ease if his party became “a powerless partner.” Mr. Mbeki’s spokesman, Mukoni Ratshitanga, said Mr. Tsvangirai would need to approach the Southern African Development Community, a regional bloc of 15 nations, for any change in mediator. On an assertion that Mr. Mbeki favours Mr. Mugabe, Mr. Ratshitanga said all issues related to the talks "will be raised behind closed doors."