The MDC has noted a report in today's (8 July 2008) state run newspaper, The Herald, to the effect that dialogue between MDC and ZANU PF "will resume soon." The paper writes on its front page;

"INTER-PARTY talks between Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations will soon resume under the continued facilitation of South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki. Cde Patrick Chinamasa, one of Zanu-PF's representatives in the talks, yesterday said he had received confirmation that both formations - one led by Arthur Mutambara and the other by Morgan Tsvangirai - were ready to return to the negotiating table. "We have received communication from both MDC Mutambara and MDC Tsvangirai that they are ready for a resumption of the inter-party talks."The talks will resume sooner rather than later, but I obviously cannot tell you what is on the table or when or where we will be meeting as we do not want to negotiate in public. The talks will be under the facilitation of President Mbeki"

The MDC unequivocally states the report by The Herald is false and is a figment of the dictatorship's imagination. The MDC is not aware of any dialogue that will "soon resume."

Our position remains consistently clear that there can not be genuine and serious dialogue as long as the issues that the MDC has raised as preconditions to dialogue have not been satisfactorily met. We reiterate again that genuine and serious dialogue can only take place if all of the following conditions are met;

1.) The immediate cessation of violence and the withdrawal and disbanding of militia groups, paramilitary camps and illegal road blocks. All structures and infrastructure of violence must be disbanded. Amongst other things, war veterans, youth militia and others encamped on the edges of our cities, towns and villages need to be sent home and be reintegrated into society. 

2.) The normalization of the political environment, including the release of the more than 1 500 political prisoners, cessation of political persecution and allowing the currently besieged MDC leadership to conduct business and travel without hindrance

3.) The reinstatement of access by humanitarian organizations to the people of Zimbabwe in order to provide food, medical and other critical services through out the country.

4.) Parliament and Senate must be sworn in and begin working on the people's business

5.) The mediation team is expanded to include an AU permanent envoy.

Dialogue is inevitable, but these conditions must be met.

We welcome the statement attributed to President Mbeki in Japan to the effect that there is no legitimate government in Zimbabwe. We have consistently stated that we have a constitutional crisis which is now being presided over by the Joint Operations Command (JOC). For all intents and purposes, we are in a military state.

The MDC is however gravely disturbed by statements to the effect that if there is no Government of National Unity there will be a civil war in Zimbabwe. The MDC, as a people's project, in the midst of provocation, has remained steadfast in our quest for peaceful democratic change. We still remain committed to this goal. To suggest that there will be civil war if there is no Government of National Unity is therefore malicious. Any form of violence should and must be put squarely on the ZANU PF. It is clear that the people of Zimbabwe want change and the only way the regime can continue to hang on is by use of violence against the people of Zimbabwe.

Statement issued by Morgan Tsvangirai, President of the Movement for Democratic Change, July 8 2008