Critics say African leaders have been soft on Mugabe

Talks between senior African leaders and President Robert Mugabe have ended with no sign of a breakthrough on how to resolve Zimbabwe's political and economic crisis.

The presidents of South Africa, Nigeria and Malawi held separate meetings with Mr Mugabe and the opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

But after several hours of talks, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo said sticking points remained between the two sides.

The talks came amid speculation that President Mugabe may be considering early retirement.

They were the latest in a series of so far unsuccessful mediation efforts in Zimbabwe - but correspondents say the worsening economic conditions are now focusing minds.

Regime change

Mr Obasanjo and Presidents Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and Bakili Muluzi of Malawi met Mr Mugabe for two hours at his State House residence.

They also held talks with Mr Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) at a Harare hotel.

ZIMBABWE CRISIS Six million need food aid Shortages of petrol, bread, sugar 228% Inflation Opposition complains of persecution They reject last year's elections Zimbabwe press hopeful over talks

Some 20 opposition protesters were arrested outside the hotel, the Associated Press news agency reported.

Officially, the talks they held with President Mugabe were aimed at pushing for dialogue between Zimbabwe's Government and the MDC.

President Mugabe is still refusing to talk until the opposition drops its legal challenge to his presidential election victory.

It is unclear whether they addressed the issue of President Mugabe's possible retirement plans.

South African spokesmen said prior to the trip that their delegation was not going to Zimbabwe to encourage regime change and insisted that Robert Mugabe's retirement was a matter for him to decide.

Land reform complete

Speculation that President Mugabe might want to bow out of politics early began after his recent public comments in which he hinted that retirement might be an option.

Talks between the MDC and government broke up last year

He has previously said that he would not be leaving office until he had finished his land reform programme.

There are now very few white farmers left on Zimbabwe's land and Mr Mugabe has said that it is complete.

Since then, the Zimbabwean Government has backtracked and said President Mugabe has no plans for early retirement.

Mr Tsvangirai told the BBC that Mr Mugabe should resign and presidential elections re-run.

Mr Mugabe last month offered to meet Mr Tsvangirai, if he accepted Mr Mugabe's legitimacy as president - a condition Mr Tsvangirai rejected.

Talks brokered by South Africa and Nigeria between Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF and the MDC broke up last year after the MDC filed a legal challenge to Mr Mugabe's re-election.