Zimbabwe's main opposition party said no new talks on a unity government would be held on Monday and called for regional mediation to resolve a dispute on how to divide key ministries.

"As far as we are concerned, there are no talks lined up today," Nelson Chamisa, spokesperson for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), told AFP.

He denied a report in the state-run Herald newspaper, which said President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party and the MDC would meet on Monday to resolve their differences over control of the finance and home affairs ministries.

"Nothing has been concluded. Zanu-PF and Mugabe are trying to mislead the world and the nation," Chamisa said.

"It is now time Sadc and the AU come and assist in this matter," he added. The MDC had called last week for the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) or the African Union to help break the impasse, but Mugabe's party insisted that no outside mediation was needed.

But new talks on Saturday among Mugabe, Tsvangirai and MDC splinter group leader Arthur Mutambara failed to resolve their differences.

Chamisa said the MDC had proposed leaving Mugabe control of the defense ministry, if the opposition were given home affairs.

"It's a deadlock," he said. "The country is at a standstill and people are dying of hunger and yet Zanu-PF is not moving an inch to take this country forward."

Once one of Africa's most prosperous countries, Zimbabwe now suffers the world's highest rate of inflation, last estimated at 11.2 million percent, with millions dependent on food aid.

AFP