Power-sharing talks in Zimbabwe between Robert Mugabe, the president, and Morgan Tsvangirai, his rival prime minister, have ended without an agreement over the formation of a cabinet.
After four days of lengthy negotiations, Mugabe and Tsvangirai failed again on Friday to agree on who should control powerful ministries, leaving their proposed unity government in doubt.
Mugabe declined to explain the deadlock in the talks, saying only: "They went well in the wrong direction."
But Tsvangirai said the rivals remained far apart on several issues, most importantly the distribution of powerful cabinet posts in the proposed unity government.
"Regrettably, after four days of intense negotiations, we have failed to agree on the... key issue, which is the equitable allocation of ministerial posts and the composition of cabinet," Tsvangirai said.
"We believe that for an inclusive government to work, the principles of equitable sharing of power... should be embraced. It appears we are far apart on this principle," Tsvangirai said.
SADC mediation
Tsvangirai said he still hoped that diplomatic efforts by fellow African countries would find a way to save the month-old power-sharing deal, seen as the best chance for rescuing the country from economic collapse.
He said that both sides had agreed for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to consider the deadlock.
The SADC's three-nation security panel, made up of the heads of state of Swaziland, Mozambique and Angola, is due to meet on Monday.
"We call upon the SADC and the AU [African Union] to use their collective wisdom to help unlock the deadlock," Tsvangirai said.
"Hopefully there will be a breakthrough next week," he said.
Briggs Bomba, an analyst from Africa Action, said neither Zanu-PF nor the opposition had a clear advantage in the power-sharing talks.
"The opposition does not have a clear 'plan B' on how it can dislodge Mugabe from power besides talking to him and sharing power," he told Al Jazeera.
"Zanu-PF, on the other hand, does not have a solution to the economic crisis which does not involve bringing in the opposition and repairing relations internationally.
"We are maybe going to have a completely different mediator and an increased role by the African Union and SADC."
PHOTO CAPTION
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Leader Morgan Tsvangirai (C) leaves the Rainbow towers in Harare on October 16, 2008.
A-Jazeera