The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Harare

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has said he will go ahead and form a cabinet if opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai does not sign a power-sharing deal on Thursday, state media reported.

Tsvangirai's main opposition MDC responded by saying any attempts by Mugabe to pressure it into an agreement would fail.

"Where on earth have you seen dialogue held on the basis of threats and ultimatum? They want to bully us into an agreement, but that's completely unacceptable," said MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa. Mugabe said he would form a government with or without the MDC because Zimbabwe could not afford to have a situation where "we will not have a cabinet forever," the state-run Herald newspaper reported. The negotiations have stalled over how executive power should be shared by Mugabe and Tsvangirai.

Tsvangirai beat Mugabe in a March 29 election but fell short of enough votes to avoid a run-off vote, which was won by Mugabe unopposed after Tsvangirai pulled out citing violence and intimidation against his supporters.

Zimbabwe state radio said South African President Thabo Mbeki was expected to arrive in Zimbabwe on Thursday to continue

mediation efforts aimed at ending a post-election crisis that has worsened its economic decline.

Mbeki's spokesman said there was no truth to reports that he would visit Zimbabwe on Thursday.

"If after tomorrow (Thursday) Tsvangirai does not want to sign we will certainly put together a cabinet. We feel frozen at the moment," Mugabe told reporters in Lusaka on Wednesday after attending the funeral of Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa.