The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Johannesburg

Zimbabwe's political rivals left a summit Sunday deadlocked over how to share power, as their divisions defied attempts by regional heads of state to find a resolution to the country's crisis.

A summit of southern African leaders and a meeting of a regional security body failed to bring the two sides to a settlement, leaving it unclear when or if the crisis that intensified with President Robert Mugabe's widely condemned re-election could be brought to a conclusion.

Both Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai attended the weekend summit of regional leaders in Johannesburg, where South African President Thabo Mbeki raised the possibility of a deal before the gathering ended.

But following the summit and the security meeting, Mbeki, the mediator for the Zimbabwe talks, said negotiations would continue, adding it "may be necessary to convene parliament" during that time.

Mugabe's ZANU-PF party and a smaller faction of the opposition led by Arthur Mutambara would have a parliamentary majority if they combined forces.

Mbeki, however, said that a solution to Zimbabwe's crisis "won't last" unless all of the country's parties agree to it.

He also warned against outside interference in the crisis and said no timeframe could be put on how long the negotiations would last.

"Let's really allow the people of Zimbabwe to determine their future," he said.

Disagreement centred on the division of power between Mugabe and Tsvangirai in a national unity government, and what authority they would have as president and prime minister.