Harare - South African President Thabo Mbeki, regionally- appointed mediator in crisis negotiations between Zimbabwe's political parties, has brought new proposals to just-resumed talks, Zimbabwean state media reported Tuesday.

Talks resumed in Harare on Monday after three weeks of deadlock, with President Robert Mugabe, whose Zanu-PF party has ruled the country for 28 years, and Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change which has a majority in parliament, each refusing to budge over which man should wield overall authority.

A small offshoot of the MDC, led by Arthur Mutambara, is also participating.

A draft plan for power-sharing introduced by Mbeki in talks last month proposed Mugabe retain the executive presidency and Tsvangirai become prime minister.

Tsvangirai backed off from signing, saying the deal would give Mugabe control of the security services and cabinet, leaving Tsvangirai to report to him.

The state-controlled daily Herald, quoting government sources, said Mbeki had arrived "with a document which seeks to resolve the issue of sharing and distributing executive powers," and would "lay the basis for the continuation of the negotiations."

The newspaper gave no details, but quoted sources as saying it was "an extensive and technical document." The parties were due to continue discussion Tuesday. South African officials have said Mbeki was prepared to spend two nights in Harare.

No comment was immediately available from the MDC, but when the talks adjourned late Monday, the two sides were putting on a tentatively positive spin, with Mugabe saying that "we are moving forward, we are not going back," while MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said, "we are trying to bridge the areas of our differences."

Zimbabwe has been spinning deeper into crisis for the past eight years since a lawless land-grab of white-owned farms triggered an economic collapse.

The woes intensified in March when the MDC won a majority in parliamentary elections and Tsvangirai beat Mugabe in the presidential vote, but fell short of enough votes to avoid a second round.

Mugabe launched a campaign of brutal intimidation ahead of the June run-off presidential election that saw Tsvangirai withdraw after dozens of his supporters were killed by Mugabe supporters.

Mugabe was declared the winner of a one-man contest that was denounced across the world as a violent, farcical affair. In the wake of the vote, the African Union after called on him to form a unity government with the MDC.

Mbeki, who steps down after two terms as president next year, is anxious to bag a Zimbabwe deal to secure his legacy. But his impartiality as mediator has been questioned after multiple acts and remarks showing favour towards Mugabe. (dpa)