Zimbabwe talks plan signed

HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai signed an agreement Monday that paves the way for power-sharing talks, the president said.

Both Mugabe and Tsvangirai appeared at a news conference with South African President Thabo Mbeki, who mediated the memorandum of understanding. It is the first time the bitter political rivals have appeared together publicly.

Tsvangirai said "it's too early yet to make a judgment as to the outcome of the process" but noted that it is "a collective effort and it involves tolerance, compromise, (and) putting the best interest of Zimbabwe at the forefront of these negotiations."