Zimbabwe opposition figure seeks court permission to attend talks (AFP)

HARARE (AFP) - The Zimbabwe opposition's chief negotiator sought on Wednesday to have his bail conditions on treason charges eased so he can attend talks in South Africa on his country's political crisis. Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) secretary general Tendai Biti requested in an application to the high court in Harare that it release his passport so he can travel to South Africa to join talks for "a negotiated settlement to the Zimbabwean political stalemate." The document seen by AFP said the talks, following the one-man run-off election boycotted by the opposition which ended with President Robert Mugabe remaining in power, were to begin on Tuesday in South Africa, though there was no sign talks had started. "The applicant is the principal negotiator for MDC," the application said. "He has spent considerable time... [read full story]