Harare  - Talks resumed Tuesday between President Robert Mugabe and pro-democracy leader Morgan Tsvangirai on dividing up between them the ministries in the country's incoming power-sharing government, but ended in deadlock again, a Tsvangirai spokesman said.

Nelson Chamisa, chief spokesman for Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change, said that the two men met for an hour Tuesday afternoon, but there was "deadlock on key ministries."

There was no indication when they or their parties' representatives would meet again.

The formation of an "inclusive government" made up of Mugabe's ZANU(PF) party, the MDC and a lesser faction of the MDC led by Arthur Mutambara, has been stalled since the three leaders signed the power- sharing deal 15 days ago, by their failure to agree on who should get at least four crucial ministries.

Party sources say the MDC has agreed to let Mugabe keep control of the defence ministry. But the MDC is insisting on getting the home affairs portfolio which includes the police, and finance.

After the three men first met to discuss the issue on September 19, Mugabe was "demanding all the major ministries."

The country is gripped by worsening crises with the collapse of the economy, famine, cholera outbreaks in urban areas and the breakdown of infrastructure, including the health system and schools.

The delay in the allocation of ministries is holding up hopes for major famine relief operations and the restoration of basic services.

Tsvangirai won elections in March, but not enough for outright victory, and Mugabe plunged the country into violent repression in order to win the second round elections June that were dismissed by the rest of the world as a brutal, fraudulent farce.

The protagonists were brought by former South African president Thabo Mbeki to power sharing negotiations in July, in a bid to resolve the political crisis and bring the country back to normality.

Hopes were raised that the impasse would be resolved after Mugabe returned Monday from the United Nations General Assembly, and said that "we will be setting up a government this week." He denied that there was deadlock. (dpa)