U.S. & World

UNITED NATIONS (AP) ― Zimbabwe's president said Wednesday he sees no obstacles to carrying out a power-sharing agreement with rivals and hopes it will lead the West to ease sanctions, which he blamed for devastating the country's economy.

In an interview with The Associated Press, the 84-year-old Robert Mugabe was sharp, quick and animated -- and made clear he is determined to remain president despite what he said were efforts by Britain and the United States to oust him.

"They are waiting for a day when this man, this evil man, called Robert Mugabe is no longer in control," he said. "And I don't know when that day is coming."

So he has no thoughts of resigning?

"No -- or a thought of dying," Mugabe chuckled.

He dismissed Western reports that the Sept. 15 power-sharing deal could fall apart "because I don't know of any hitch."

Under the agreement, Mugabe remains president but is supposed to cede some of the powers he has wielded for nearly three decades in the southern African country. Long-simmering and bitter differences as well as the nation's economic collapse, though, have put the deal under intense pressure.

Mugabe said Wednesday the only outstanding issue is deciding on four of the 31 Cabinet posts, and the negotiations are continuing in Harare while he is in New York. He declined to say which posts are still being discussed.

"Every one of us is actually positive about the agreement, or the need to cement the agreement and make it work," Mugabe said.

"I don't see any reason why we can't work together as Zimbabweans," he said. "We are all sons of the soil, as we say, and the differences arise purely from own conceptions of what Zimbabwe should be and what the government of Zimbabwe should be."

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai won the most votes in March presidential polling, but not enough to avoid a runoff against Mugabe. An onslaught of violence against Tsvangirai's supporters led him to drop out of the presidential runoff and Mugabe was declared the overwhelming winner of the second vote, which was widely denounced as a sham.

More than 100 opposition supporters were killed in the violence, thousands of people were beaten up and suffered broken limbs, and tens of thousands were forced from their homes.

Mugabe, who has been in power since independence from Britain in 1980, and Tsvangirai have been enemies for a decade. Tsvangirai has been jailed, beaten, tortured and tried for treason -- charges that were dismissed in court.

But Mugabe made clear Wednesday that he was willing to share power with Tsvangirai, who would become prime minister under the agreement, leading a council of ministers responsible for government policies and reporting to a Cabinet headed by Mugabe.

Still, Mugabe did not spell out who would have the final say if there was a major disagreement.

He described the government as a pyramid with the president at the top, but he said "the president never settles on the matter alone," and always works with the vice presidents.

"And now that we have a prime minister we rope him in and we discuss in the presidency, or whatever we call it, together, and we look at the issues and see what solutions can be applied to any problem that confronts us," Mugabe said.

Western nations, who have shunned Mugabe's government and whose aid and investment are sorely needed, have reacted cautiously to the coalition agreement. They have so far stayed on the sidelines, waiting to see whether Tsvangirai will emerge as the main decision-maker. Millions of dollars in aid are expected to flow in if Mugabe actually shares power.

Mugabe said Wednesday the West should now begin removing "demonic" sanctions, which have targeted individuals and companies seen to be supporting his regime. They were tightened after elections this spring that Mugabe is widely accused of rigging, and the European Union recently added an arms ban.

"We don't expect investment from countries that are hostile," he said. "They can keep their investment, but we would hope in the first place that sanctions would be lifted. There is no reason for imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe at all. There has never been any reason for it, you see, except hostility."

European Union foreign ministers have welcomed the power-sharing deal but said Mugabe must prove he is willing to restore democratic rule before EU sanctions can be lifted.

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