Government continues to negotiate with "out-in-law"

Delegations from the Mozambican government and the country’s largest opposition party, Renamo, met in Maputo on Monday for the fourth round of talks between the two sides. During the meeting it was agreed that thirty days is enough time for the dialogue to produce results.The head of the government delegation, Agriculture Minister Jose Pacheco told reporters that after the “prior questions” raised previously by Renamo had ceased to be a condition for dialogue, the two parties discussed and approved documents establishing the terms of reference for the talks. This defined the timetable for the meetings and an agreement over procedures and minute taking.During the meeting, the government delivered its position about electoral legislation, which will be discussed in detail at the next round of talks that are due to take place next Monday.However, Pacheco pointed out that the government is currently implementing the decision of the Mozambican parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, to organise the electoral process for the municipal elections that are being held on 20 November.
He stressed that the government is against violence and the destruction of property, which is why the police are stationed in different parts of the country to defend the rights and freedoms of citizens (one of Renamo’s preconditions for dialogue was the removal of the police from the vicinity of Renamo’s base in Gorongosa district in the central province of Sofala).
Questioned about the incident last Friday during which nine members of the Mozambican Rapid Intervention Force (FIR - the riot police) were injured by armed Renamo members in Vunduzi, in Gorongosa, Pacheco said that the government is still analysing the issue.
The head of the Renamo delegation, Saimone Macuiana, said that the dialogue will be founded on the General Peace Agreement (signed in 1992). He added that the parties had addressed the terms of reference for the dialogue so that solutions can now be found that will defend the interests of the people.Macuiana stated, “we are working but there are still no results. The position of Renamo in relation to elections remains the same and until now nothing has changed. The prior questions are no longer a condition for dialogue, but in due time they will be answered”.