Zimbabwe's ruling party on Wednesday denied a deadlock in power-sharing talks, saying that no outside mediation was needed in negotiations with the opposition on dividing key Cabinet posts.

"Anyone who says there is a deadlock is being mischievous. There is commitment on all of us to make things work," said Patrick Chinamasa, chief negotiator for the ruling Zanu-PF.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said earlier that it was asking former South African president Thabo Mbeki to resume his mediation in Zimbabwe's political crisis.

The MDC's announcement came after President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai failed to resolve their differences over the most important cabinet posts during a meeting on Tuesday.

"If there was a disagreement as is being suggested, I don't think it's one that would justify calling in the facilitator," Chinamasa told AFP.

"If there are any issues, I believe they can resolve them among themselves," he added.

Mugabe, Tsvangirai and MDC splinter group leader Arthur Mutambara agreed on 15 September to a landmark power-sharing agreement.

The deal brokered by Mbeki was heralded as a historic initiative to resolve Zimbabwe's political deadlock and economic melt-down.

AFP