ZIMBABWE’S three main parties broke off talks to heal rifts in the power sharing government on Wednesday, but officials said negotiators would meet again on Saturday.

Welshman Ncube, the chief negotiator for the MDC faction led by Arthur Mutambara said the talks, which began on Monday, had focused on “western sanctions against Zimbabwe, pirate radio stations and government appointments including those of the attorney general and reserve bank governor”.

The MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai temporarily withdrew from government last month, demanding that President Robert Mugabe reverses his unilateral appointment of Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana.

But following a regional summit on November 5, the MDC agreed to participate in government although warning that if the issues were not resolved it could once again disengage after 30 days, which runs out on December 5.

Nelson Chamisa, a spokesman for the Tsvangirai-led MDC said: “It is a process and it cannot be a one-day wonder.

"The negotiators are working flat out to locate consensus points in the interpretation and implementation of the GPA. We hope we will be able to beat the timeframe that we were advised by our guarantors.”

Observers say between them, the negotiators are unlikely to resolve the “outstanding issues” which require intervention by the principals – Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara.

Zanu PF points to western sanctions which it says the MDC campaigned for, and must actively lobby to get them lifted. The party also wants the MDC to rein in its supporters in western capitals running “pirate” radio stations – two tasks the party promised to fulfil in the power sharing agreement.