Mediator Mbeki holds talks with Mugabe on poll crisis

By Nelson Banya

HARARE (Reuters) - Mediator and South African leader Thabo Mbeki held talks with President Robert Mugabe on Friday on Zimbabwe's disputed election, officials said, ahead of a possible run-off that has raised concerns of further violence.

Mbeki, whose "soft diplomacy" approach towards Zimbabwe's crisis has drawn criticism at home and abroad, met with Mugabe for three hours, said the officials. They did not elaborate.

He did not discuss the post-election turmoil with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) as well, party officials said.

MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who left Zimbabwe shortly after the March elections, says he won the presidential poll outright and his party says it is not planning to participate in a run-off. Tsvangirai has yet to give a final answer on whether he will contest.

If he does not, the 84-year-old Mugabe will automatically win. Mugabe has ruled since independence in 1980.

The MDC is expected to announce their decision on whether to take part in a run-off at a news conference in Pretoria on Saturday at 0800 GMT.

Regional heavyweight South Africa is heading efforts by the regional SADC grouping to defuse the tension in Zimbabwe, which suffers from 80 percent unemployment, chronic food and fuel shortages and the world's highest inflation of 165,000 percent.

The last time Mbeki met with Mugabe after the election, he denied there was a crisis, a comment which was widely attacked by political rivals and the international community.