President Robert Mugabe has rejected attempts by Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo to initiate talks on the Zimbabwean crisis with the main opposition party, a state-owned newspaper said on Tuesday.
Presidential spokesman George Charamba told the Herald that contacts with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party would be limited to Parliament, where the opposition holds 41 of 150 seat.
"We are convinced this is sufficient contact," Charamba was quoted as saying.
The report came as South African Deputy-President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka flew to Zimbabwe for a day of meetings with Mugabe and her counterpart, Vice-President Joyce Mujuru. No details were released about the talks, which the South African presidency said were part of "ongoing consultations between the two countries."
Zimbabwe's African neighbors have been criticized for failing to take a tough stand against abuses in the troubled country. Many have looked for leadership to regional powerhouse South Africa, which favors a policy of "quiet diplomacy" with Zimbabwe.
The Herald said Obasanjo twice tried to persuade Mugabe to open talks with the opposition on the political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe. It also said Obasanjo had talked with Mugabe at last week's African Union summit in Libya about Zimbabwe rejoining the Commonwealth.
Obasanjo's spokesman had no immediate comment on Zimbabwe on Tuesday.
Zimbabwe quit the Commonwealth in 2003 to protest the organization's condemnation of its human-rights record and a two-year suspension.
Charamba told the newspaper that Zimbabwe does not want to rejoin the organization.
"We have had a very bad and unfair experience with this effete club. It has not given us justice, it has not given us any meaningful assistance, nor does it promise any in the future," Charamba said.
"For that reason, it is of no material value to Zimbabwe apart from the supposed joy of being ex-British colonies. Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth and did so for good," he said.
Tendai Biti, a parliamentary spokesman for the opposition MDC, denied reports party leader Morgan Tsvangirai met with Mbeki to push for talks with Mugabe.
Biti said Tsvangirai's recent meeting with Mbeki was to report on the impact of a demolition and eviction campaign targeting Zimbabwe's urban poor.
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