Tsvangirai denies reports of ZANU-PF - MDC talks

Zimbabwe's main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), on Wednesday denied there had been a resumption of talks between itself and the government.

"Since the aborted talks between the MDC and [the ruling] ZANU-PF in April 2002, there has been absolutely no engagement between the two political parties," MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai said in a statement.

Tsvangirai was responding to comments made by President Thabo Mbeki during US President George W Bush's visit to South Africa.

"We have urged the [Zimbabwe] government and the opposition [MDC] to get together ... they are indeed discussing all issues. That process is going on," Mbeki said in Pretoria.

Meanwhile, the International Crisis Group (ICG) has called on Mbeki to "engage with sufficient determination" to persuade both parties to begin serious negotiations.

"South Africa is the single country with the ability to help its neighbour through the roughest patches," the Brussels-based group said in a recent report.

Zimbabwe is currently facing a severe economic crisis, with 80 percent of the country's 11.6 million people estimated to be living in poverty, inflation at 300 percent and 70 percent of the labour force unemployed.

The report also called on support from the US, the European Union and Commonwealth countries to work towards a negotiated settlement.