Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe will meet opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai tomorrow to discuss the formation of any unity government, a Mugabe spokesman said tonight.
News of the meeting is the clearest sign yet that the parties could be close to a deal.
George Charamba also said Mr Mugabe would also discuss the issue with Arthur Mutambara, leader of a breakaway MDC faction.
The news came hours after South African President Thabo Mbeki arrived in Harare to mediate power-sharing talks.
Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF and Mr Tsvangirai's MDC began talking more than two weeks ago to resolve a crisis that came to a head after the president was re-elected in a widely condemned June poll boycotted by the opposition.
South Africa's
Business Daynewspaper, citing unnamed sources, said the two leaders would hold make-or-break talks to finalise a deal in Harare tomorrow.
The report said it was understood the two men were not "too far apart", though the central issues remain unresolved.
Mr Mugabe (84) said on Thursday the talks were going well but dismissed as nonsense media reports about a draft agreement under which Mr Tsvangirai would run the country as prime minister while Mr Mugabe would become ceremonial president.