HARARE, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's inter-party talks on power sharing has been suspended indefinitely after Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the major faction of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), requested time to consider some of the proposals.

    This was announced by South African President Thabo Mbeki at a press conference in Harare, before he left for Angola to brief President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, chairperson of the Southern African Development Community's Organ on Politics and Security, on the development in the talks, according to a report by New Ziana on Wednesday.

Zimbabwean MDC opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai arrives on Aug. 12 at the Rainbow towers hotel in Harare. Zimbabwe's inter-party talks on power sharing has been suspended indefinitely after Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the major faction of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), requested time to consider some of the proposals.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Mbeki refused to disclose the proposals that Tsvangirai would like to consider, saying it was against the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding that the parties signed, which forbade them to discuss the issues in public.

    "It is about power sharing," he said.

    He said the major issues that the three principals – President Robert Mugabe, leader of the ruling ZANU-PF party, Tsvangirai, and Arthur Mutambara, leader of the MDC's smaller fraction, had been discussing over the past four days were to do with the constitution of a government of national unity such as allocation of cabinet portfolios.

    He said it was on one such issue that the talks had been bogged down and Tsvangirai had requested time to consider.

    He said he would discuss with the Angolan president the time frame that Tsvangirai should be given to consider the power sharing proposals, after which he would reconvene the negotiations.

    President Mbeki dismissed reports that the talks had collapsed and instead expressed optimism that they would succeed, saying the sticking points would be resolved.

    He also dismissed reports that President Mugabe and Mutambara had signed a deal, saying he did not witness the signing ceremony.

    Rumors that the talks had collapsed had spread after Tsvangirai left the talks venue early.

    Tsvangirai, who appeared angry when he left the venue, refused to comment on the outcome of the talks except that President Mbeki would issue a press statement, according to the report.

    Mutambara, who left after Tsvangirai, also told journalists to wait for Mbeki.

    Mugabe, however, chose to be philosophical about the issue and refused to confirm fears that the talks had collapsed.

    "The talks will never collapse as long as we have tongues (to talk)," he was quoted as saying.

    President Mbeki commended the Zimbabwean leadership for their commitment to the talks, saying they were all eager to conclude the negotiations.

    On what was at stake for him in the negotiations, Mbeki said his country and Zimbabwe were neighbors that were inseparable as they shared a common history of colonialism.

    "Personally I have known the Zimbabwean leadership for a long time," he said, noting that Zimbabwe played an important role in the liberation of South Africa.

    Mbeki said, as a neighbor, South Africa was aware of the difficulties that the people of Zimbabwe were experiencing and was obliged to assist.

    "Even if it means spending six months in Zimbabwe then we will do it as long as it will bring an end to the challenges that the country is experiencing," he said.

    Mbeki implored outsiders to give Zimbabweans an opportunity to resolve their challenges, saying he was convinced that they could do so if left alone.

    "Let us give the Zimbabwean leaders breathing space to resolve their differences," he was quoted as saying.