Port Louis — President Robert Mugabe is expected to meet opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the next two days to try to break a deadlock over cabinet posts, a senior ruling party official said yesterday. The ZANU-PF official suggested Mugabe's patience was running out and a prolonged deadlock could endanger the negotiations. The two sides have failed to agree on sharing out cabinet posts since the outline power-sharing deal on Sept. 15.

"The expectation is that there is going to be some agreement so that the country moves forward, and it will be very unfortunate if there are people who think this process, that consultations, can go on forever."

"We are negotiating in good faith but I don't think you can say the same thing about ZANU-PF," said Nelson Chamisa, a spokesman for Tsvangirai's MDC. Mugabe will also meet Mutambara, leader of a break-away faction of the MDC. The three met on Saturday and failed to settle differences over the Finance and Home affairs ministries.

The opposition accuses Mugabe of trying to assign it a junior role in government and says only mediation can break a deadlock in talks. Under the agreement, Mugabe will retain the presidency and chair the cabinet, while Tsvangirai heads a council of ministers supervising the cabinet. Without a breakthrough, Zimbabwe's economy could worsen still further. President Robert Mugabe is expected to meet opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the next two days to try to break a deadlock over cabinet posts, a senior ruling party official said yesterday. The ZANU-PF official suggested Mugabe's patience was running out and a prolonged deadlock could endanger the negotiations. The two sides have failed to agree on sharing out cabinet posts since the outline power-sharing deal on Sept. 15.

"The expectation is that there is going to be some agreement so that the country moves forward, and it will be very unfortunate if there are people who think this process, that consultations, can go on forever."

"We are negotiating in good faith but I don't think you can say the same thing about ZANU-PF," said Nelson Chamisa, a spokesman for Tsvangirai's MDC. Mugabe will also meet Mutambara, leader of a break-away faction of the MDC. The three met on Saturday and failed to settle differences over the Finance and Home affairs ministries. The opposition accuses Mugabe of trying to assign it a junior role in government and says only mediation can break a deadlock in talks. Under the agreement, Mugabe will retain the presidency and chair the cabinet, while Tsvangirai heads a council of ministers supervising the cabinet. Without a breakthrough, Zimbabwe's economy could worsen still further.