Zimbabwe's ruling party and the main opposition have not yet reached a power-sharing agreement, an opposition spokesman said today.
President Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have been trying to reach a deal to end the post-election political crisis that has crippled Zimbabwe.
"There is no deal yet," George Sibotshiwe, a spokesman for MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, said without elaborating.
Mr Tsvangirai said earlier today that power-sharing negotiations being held during a regional summit were going "very well".
South African President Thabo Mbeki said leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) group of countries' political, security and defence committee would continue talks on Zimbabwe after the summit, which has ended.
SADC leaders wanted "a speedy conclusion" to the negotiations, said Mr Mbeki, whom the grouping has mandated to mediate in the Zimbabwe talks.
The negotiations began last month after Mugabe was re-elected unopposed in June, in a vote condemned around the world and boycotted by Tsvangirai because of attacks on his supporters.
Neither Mr Tsvangirai nor Mr Mugabe, in power since 1980, seemed to be budging on the issue of who will run Zimbabwe, which is in dire need of a leadership that can rescue its shattered economy.
Leaders of 14-nation SADC had discussed a draft agreement in a closed session of the summit and both Mugabe and Tsvangirai had taken part, diplomats said on Saturday.
All Zimbabwe's neighbours fear the consequences if its political stalemate and economic decline lead to total meltdown, and there are growing signs of impatience. Botswana President Seretse Khama Ian Khama boycotted the summit.
Millions of Zimbabweans have fled across borders to escape the world's highest inflation rate of over 2 million percent as well as high unemployment and shortages of basic goods.
Mr Mbeki is under immense pressure to secure a deal. He has come under repeated fire for not being tough on Mr Mugabe while Zimbabwe's daily hardships deepen.
Mr Mbeki has argued that pushing the defiant Zimbabwean president would only aggravate tensions.
Reuters