Harare - The High Court in Zimbabwe's capital Harare on Wednesday gave the go-ahead for opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) second-in-command Tendai Biti to travel abroad for talks on the country's political impasse by ordering his passport be returned.

Biti, who was charged with treason in June, had appealed to the court to have his bail conditions relaxed so that he could travel to South Africa for talks on "a negotiated settlement to the Zimbabwean political stalemate."

The High Court, which had imposed his bail conditions, further facilitated his request by dropping requirements for him to report regularly at a police station.

In his application to the court Biti said he wished to attend talks in South Africa from July 9-13 with "key stakeholders."

MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa later said the talks were a "prelude" to substantive negotiations on a powersharing arrangement with Mugabe's government, as called for by the African Union. (dpa)