Zimbabwe faces the possibility of a military coup or civil war if negotiations between President Robert Mugabe and the democratic opposition fail, Botswana's foreign minister has warned.
As heads of state from Zimbabwe's neighbours gathered in Johannesburg for a regional summit, Ian Khama, Botswana's new president, boycotted the meeting in protest at the presence of Mr Mugabe, who he regards as illegitimate after he was "re-elected" in a one-candidate presidential run-off.
While the octogenarian leader sat on the podium nodding his head in time to a military band playing "When the saints go marching in", the front row seats of the Botswana delegation in the hall were conspicuously empty.
Talks between Mr Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, and Arthur Mutambara, who heads another MDC faction, continued during the gathering, but without reaching a resolution.
Botswana's foreign minister Phandu Skelemani said a successful outcome to the negotiations was crucial.
"If they fail the situation will spiral," he said. "There's going to be turmoil. Then we are really heading for trouble. Some mad chap might think these fellows have failed, now I'm taking over. Those are the risks you run.
"I'm not sure that the Zimbabweans are not going to start fighting, then we are all in trouble. There's no option but to agree. The consequences are too ghastly to contemplate."
Thabo Mbeki, the South African president mediating the talks, claimed that the negotiations could be finalised during the summit. But after a suggestion said that a deal "should" be signed over the weekend Tendai Biti, Mr Tsvangirai's secretary-general and chief negotiator, retorted: "He's dreaming."
The negotiations are understood to be stymied over the question of executive authority, with Mr Mugabe insisting on remaining as head of the government, leaving the effective power of Mr Tsvangirai's proposed prime ministership open to question.
In a speech to ministers Mr Tsvangirai said: "We have agreed that Mr Mugabe will be president whilst I become prime minister. A prime minister cannot be given responsibility without authority and be expected to deliver.
"We envisage that the prime minister must chair the Cabinet and be responsible for the formulation, execution and administration of government business including appointing and dismissing his ministers."
On the summit sidelines he added yesterday: "No deal in the short-term is better than a bad deal."
Botswana's foreign minister Phandu Skelemani said his country faces a "very serious" situation as a result of Zimbabwe's impoverishment, with economic refugees were "streaming across" their shared border at an increasing rate.
He did not want to single out Mr Mugabe for criticism over the talks, saying that "all the parties involved" had to "see reason to see failure to agree implies catastrophe for Zimbabwe".
But in a clear reference to the man who has led Zimbabwe since independence 28 years ago he said: "Over the years the political situation may have been bad, the crunch has now come.
"The country is melting economically, I don't think Mr Mugabe can fail to see that. If he sees that and being the patriot that I believe he is he must have only one answer, that the Zimbabweans look to him and the other leaders of the political parties to find a resolution."
It was wrong of the Southern African Development Community to invite Mr Mugabe to the summit, and even more so to seat him at the top table while Mr Tsvangirai was relegated to a seat in the hall, Mr Skelemani added.
"They are equals and they ought to be treated as such. Neither one of them has won the presidential election.
Botswana had to boycott the meeting to remain true to its democratic principles, he said. "To sit down with Mugabe or his ministers, we have said no. Those who break all these rules should not expect to sit at the same table with us before the situation is corrected.
"I'm sad that it should have come to this."
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