South African President Thabo Mbeki held talks with Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday as part of his efforts to promote political reconciliation in the southern African country.

“The meeting is taking place in Pretoria this morning. It is part of the ongoing dialogue that the president has been pursuing in Zimbabwe,” presidential spokesman Bheki Khumalo said. Tsvangirai – who was acquitted on treason charges this month – left Zimbabwe for the first time in 2 years on Saturday, starting a regional trip aimed at drumming up support ahead of parliamentary elections in March. No statement will be issued after Mbeki's meeting with Tsvangirai, which is taking place at an undisclosed venue, Khumalo said.

“We believe if we say less, there is a greater chance of success in this situation”. South Africa's policy of “quiet diplomacy” to bring Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF and the MDC back to direct talks has so far met with little success. Earlier talks broke down over opposition charges that the 2002 presidential election was rigged.

Tsvangirai had to surrender his travel documents 2 years ago when he was charged with planning to assassinate President Robert Mugabe before the 2002 elections. The fiery trade unionist emerged 5 years ago as the first serious threat to Mugabe, in power since independence from colonial power Britain in 1980.

Tsvangirai was considered by his supporters and some Western governments as Zimbabwe's only immediate hope of ending a 5-year economic recession accompanied by escalating political unrest. Tsvangirai accuses Mugabe of stealing those elections and says the former guerrilla leader is the main impediment to economic recovery in Zimbabwe, which is grappling with a jobless rate of 70 percent.