Cape Town — More than five months after Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) beat the ruling Zanu-PF into second place in elections, the country's three main political parties have reached an agreement to share power.

President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa confirmed at a news conference in Harare on Thursday night that a "unanimous agreement" had been concluded by all negotiating parties. The news conference was broadcast live in South Africa on satellite television channels.

Mbeki - appointed as facilitator of the talks by the Southern African Development Community - spoke soon after the news agency Agence France-Presse quoted MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai as emerging from talks to tell journalists in Harare: "We've got a deal." Reuters quoted a Zimbabwe government source as confirming the deal.

Mbeki said the agreement would be signed and published on Monday.

He flew to Harare earlier this week to preside over renewed talks for a government of national unity. The talks focussed on how executive powers would be shared between Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe, who has ruled for 28 years.

Earlier on Thursday, Mugabe was quoted as telling a meeting in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second city: "We have not gone anywhere. We are still stuck at the same point where those from the MDC still want to govern."