Zimbabwe's new Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Wednesday voiced confidence about President Robert Mugabe's commitment to a power sharing deal, saying the unity government would work.

"I'm quite certain (...) his commitment to the agreement is unquestionable," Tsvangirai told South Africa's Talk Radio 702, referring to a pathbreaking accord aimed at ending ruinous political and economic chaos.

"At a personal level, we don't have a strained relationship," he said, adding that the two traditional foes had had some positive interaction during recent talks which led to the deal signed on Monday.

"So I'm quite confident that we can work together for the good of the people. I mean that's the whole intention," he said.

Talks to allocate the ministerial posts of the new government were postponed on Tuesday as Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF called a meeting of its top leadership to discuss the cabinet positions.

A multi-party cabinet is to be led by Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, as president. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Tsvangirai holds the newly created post of prime minister.

MDSC breakaway faction leader Arthur Mutambara will take one of the two deputy prime ministerial posts.

On whether he will have veto powers over Mugabe, the MDC leader said: "The president and myself will not have a veto over anybody, but we will work to co- operate between the council of ministers and the cabinet. One reports to the other."

"All decisions are by consensus which means there has to be agreement," he added.

The Zanu-PF has been allotted 15 portfolios in the new cabinet, in which Tsvangirai party's will hold 13 posts. The MDC faction led by Mutambara will have three posts.

Mugabe will chair the cabinet while Tsvangirai will chair a council of ministers.

The power-sharing deal was reached after protracted talks mediated by South African President Thabo Mbeki with Zimbabwe's political crisis having intensified after the 84-year-old Mugabe's re-election as president in a widely condemned one-man, second round poll in June.

Tsvangirai boycotted the vote despite finishing ahead of Mugabe in the March first round, citing violence against his supporters.

Mugabe's party was also defeated for the first time in legislative elections held in March.

Over the past decade, Zimbabwe's economy — once a hailed as an African model — has collapsed with the world's highest inflation rate, chronic shortages of foreign currency and food and skyrocketing unemployment.

AFP