Mugabe and Tsvangirai 'on brink of signing power-sharing deal'

The official said Mugabe's Zanu-PF, after more than two weeks of talks seeking to end a post-election crisis, wants any unity government to last five years.

Under the deal, Mr Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), would be premier although his powers were still under discussion.

Mugabe and Tsvangirai are meeting 'to thrash out differences', say officials

'There could be a signing tomorrow, after the leaders have met to thrash out the remaining issues,' the official said.

Mugabe would be meeting Mr Tsvangirai today to discuss forming a possible unity government, a presidential spokesman said earlier.

News of the meeting is the clearest sign yet that the parties could be close to a deal after a disputed vote in March. The spokesman said Arthur Mutambara, the leader of a breakaway MDC faction, would also participate in the talks.

The Zanu-PF official said a major breakthrough was reached when the MDC agreed to recognise Mugabe's legitimacy as president. He said Zanu-PF had agreed on Mr Tsvangirai as prime minister, but 'not in the sense' of media reports which have said he will be given executive powers while Mugabe becomes a ceremonial president.

MDC officials were not immediately available for comment.