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Zimbabwe deal may omit Tsvangirai Zimbabwe deal may omit Tsvangirai
(10 minutes later)
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and breakaway opposition leader Arthur Mutambara have signed a power-sharing deal, ruling party officials say.Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and breakaway opposition leader Arthur Mutambara have signed a power-sharing deal, ruling party officials say.
The agreement does not include Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), a Zanu-PF official said.The agreement does not include Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), a Zanu-PF official said.
There has been no official confirmation of the reports. But the BBC has been told by officials close to Mr Mutambara that reports of a deal being signed were untrue.
The BBC has been told by officials close to Mr Mutambara that reports of a deal being signed were untrue. South African President Thabo Mbeki is set to brief reporters on progress.
Mr Mbeki has been mediating the talks, and his role is expected to come under scrutiny at a meeting of regional powers this weekend.
'Time out'
Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai were earlier reported to be unable to agree on how to divide power.Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai were earlier reported to be unable to agree on how to divide power.
Mr Tsvangirai left a Harare hotel without comment after four hours of negotiations on Tuesday and the BBC's Karen Allen in Johannesburg says confusion surrounds the state of the talks.Mr Tsvangirai left a Harare hotel without comment after four hours of negotiations on Tuesday and the BBC's Karen Allen in Johannesburg says confusion surrounds the state of the talks.
But she says if a deal has been agreed with Mr Mutambara it could be used to exert pressure and draw concessions from Mr Tsvangirai. Mr Mbeki has been mediating between the ruling party and opposition
She says the BBC spoke briefly to Mr Mutambara, who refused to confirm or deny reports a deal had been done. He said more would be revealed at a press conference on Wednesday.
His party officials rubbished the idea of a deal, she says.
Our correspondent says that if a deal has been agreed with Mr Mutambara it could be used to exert pressure and draw concessions from Mr Tsvangirai.
MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti said earlier: "The talks have not collapsed. It's just a time out."MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti said earlier: "The talks have not collapsed. It's just a time out."
Campaign of violence
Tuesday's talks followed a five-hour meeting on Monday and a marathon session on Sunday that lasted more than 13 hours.Tuesday's talks followed a five-hour meeting on Monday and a marathon session on Sunday that lasted more than 13 hours.
South African President Thabo Mbeki has been mediating the talks, and his role is expected to come under scrutiny at a meeting of regional powers this weekend. 'Sterling achievements'
Mr Tsvangirai won the first round of Zimbabwe's presidential election in March, before pulling out of a June run-off because he said there was a campaign of violence against his supporters.Mr Tsvangirai won the first round of Zimbabwe's presidential election in March, before pulling out of a June run-off because he said there was a campaign of violence against his supporters.
The violence claimed the lives of more than 100 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.The violence claimed the lives of more than 100 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.
Zanu-PF has blamed the opposition for post-election violence.Zanu-PF has blamed the opposition for post-election violence.
Correspondents say the Joint Operations Command (Joc) - a committee of Mr Mugabe's military chiefs - is believed to have masterminded Mr Mugabe's re-election campaign.
On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch said the campaign of violence had continued since the elections, with ruling Zanu-PF supporters continuing to terrorise villagers in rural areas.
The government was making little effort to dismantle torture camps set up by its supporters, and hundreds of opposition activists were still in hiding, it said.
At an Armed Forces Day event on Tuesday, Mr Mugabe praised his country's security forces for defending Zimbabwe's "hard-won independence".
"These sterling achievements have overcome numerous concerted efforts from some sections of the international community to destabilise our peace and stability and thus cause confusion in our country," he said.
He honoured George Chiweshe, head of the Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC), who has been criticised for his handling of the country's recent polls.