US eyes Mugabe party divisions as way out of Zimbabwe crisis

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States is counting on fissures within Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's party to allow a negotiated end to the crisis with the opposition, the State Department indicated Wednesday.

"I think there certainly is more to the ZANU-PF than Robert Mugabe," said State Department spokesman Tom Casey, referring to the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front party.

"I think it's our hope that there can be a political settlement that involves discussions among all the parties, including the ZANU-PF," Casey told reporters.

He added: "Certainly, we would hope that there would be people in the ZANU-PF who understood the situation and who were... Zimbabwean patriots first and members of the ZANU-PF second, who would be...