Zimbabwe rival parties call on supporters to halt violence (AFP)

HARARE (AFP) - Zimbabwe's ruling party and opposition issued a joint statement Wednesday calling on their supporters to halt all political violence amid power-sharing talks to resolve the country's crisis. Both the ruling ZANU-PF and opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) acknowledged that their supporters had carried out violence following the March 29 first-round presidential election. The statement said the parties "call upon all our supporters and members and any organs and structures under the direction and control of our respective parties to stop and desist the perpetration of violence in any form". It said they committed "to take all necessary measures within our power to eliminate all forms of violence". MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai pulled out of the June 27 run-off poll five days ahead of the vote, citing... [read full story]