HARARE (AFP) - Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Tuesday denied claims by government that dialogue was to resume soon between his party and President Robert Mugabe's regime.

Tsvangirai said claims by Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa that talks would start up again shortly were "false and a figment of the dictatorship's imagination.

"The MDC is not aware of any dialogue that will 'soon resume'," Movement for Democratic Change leader Tsvangirai said in a statement.

Chinamasa had earlier told AFP that inter-party talks aimed at resolving Zimbabwe's political crisis were likely to get going again.

"The talks are set to resume soon, but I cannot say when or where they will be held," he said.

Chinamasa, who is ZANU-PF chief negotiator, said Tsvangirai's MDC would be represented at the talks despite the opposition leader's decision to boycott a session hosted by South African President Thabo Mbeki on Saturday.

"Do not be fooled that the (Tsvangirai) faction will not be represented. Everybody will be represented at these talks," he added.

Tsvangirai reiterated his position that while it was "inevitable" that dialogue would ultimately take place, it could not proceed until preconditions set by the MDC were met.

These included the immediate cessation of violence against opposition supporters, the release of more than 1,500 political prisoners and the expansion of the mediation team to include a permanent African Union envoy.

According to the MDC, more than 100 of its supporters have been killed by pro-Mugabe thugs since the first round of voting in March, including 20 since a run-off vote last month.

The talks between the two sides have been frozen since Mugabe decided to push ahead with a run-off on June 27 even after Tsvangirai pulled out of the contest following attacks on his supporters.

Mbeki had hoped Tsvangirai would join him and Mugabe, as well as a leader of a rebel MDC faction, in round-table talks over the weekend.

But he refused to attend the get-together, with his party unhappy about the framework of the talks and its venue at the official presidential residence.

The MDC has refused to recognise Mugabe's win in the one-man poll and is insisting it should head up any new government given that Tsvangirai pushed Mugabe into second place in the first round of voting in March.

While the African Union has called for the establishment of a national unity government, the MDC says a transitional administration should be set up ahead of fresh polls which can be guaranteed to be free and fair.

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