JOHANNESBURG, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean parties will start formal talks later Tuesday in South Africa, which is aimed at working out solutions to the current political crisis facing the country, according to diplomatic sources in the country 's administrative capital Pretoria.

    The talks between Zimbabwe ruling ZANU-PF and two fractions of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) came a day after the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on the talks on Monday.

    South African President Thabo Mbeki, who negotiated the memorandum of understanding on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), will not attend the opening of the talks because he will be at a cabinet meeting, according to the sources.

    The memorandum paved the way for discussions to solve Zimbabwe's current political crisis which emerged after the presidential elections in March.

    South African President Thabo Mbeki witnessed Monday's signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between President and ZANU-PF leader Robert Mugabe and the leaders of the two MDC factions, Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, at Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare.

    The MOU envisaged that "the dialogue will be completed within a period of two weeks from the date of signing of this MOU."

    The signing of the deal made a major breakthrough in the development of ending the southern African country's political crisis.

    Speaking at the signing ceremony, President Mugabe said his party and the opposition had agreed to amend the country's constitution.

    Mugabe also urged negotiations to be held free from influence and pressure from Europe and the United States.

    For his part, Tsvangirai promised that he would act to put the interests of Zimbabwe at the forefront.

    Mbeki said the deal committed both sides to an intense process to try to complete substantive negotiations as quickly as possible.