African envoys in talks with Zimbabwe parties Nigerian and South African envoys started separate talks with President Robert Mugabe's ruling party and the main opposition to map out the agenda for talks between the two rivals.
The consultations follow Mr Mugabe's controversial victory in the March 9-11th presidential elections, which Western countries and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have rejected as fraudulent.
MDC leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, free on bail on charges of plotting to kill Mr Mugabe, has described the election as "daylight robbery" and said he will discuss nothing but fresh elections with Mugabe.
Mr Mugabe has ruled out a re-run of the polls. "Consultations were held today separately between the ruling ZANU-PF and the MDC in Harare with facilitators from Nigeria and South Africa," the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation said.
It said the consultations were meant to decide on the venue, date and agenda for a formal meeting between the two parties.
Formal talks were expected to start once the leader of the ruling party's team, Justice Minister Mr Patrick Chinamasa, returned to Zimbabwe from an overseas trip.
Mr Chinamasa said on state television he expected talks between the two parties to start early next week after his return at the weekend.
South African mediator Mr Kgalema Motlanthe declined to give details of today's meetings.
"We have been sworn to silence. We are not speaking to the media until both parties have come up with some sort of agreement," he said.