JOHANNESBURG, August 16, 2008 (AFP) - The Zimbabwe opposition's number two leader said Saturday the nation's rivals must find a compromise so work can begin on turning around the country's economic freefall.

'The bottom line is that the two main parties in Zimbabwe have to come to some compromise for the good and betterment of the people of Zimbabwe,' Tendai Biti told reporters at a regional summit in South Africa.

He added later: 'Our people are suffering ... the situation is a disaster and an urgent solution is called for.'

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and opposition chief Morgan Tsvangirai attended the summit, where negotiators were aiming for a solution to end a prolonged political crisis.

Power-sharing talks adjourned earlier this week after three days of negotiations between Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, the head of a smaller opposition faction.

South African President Thabo Mbeki has mediated the negotiations.

'I can't go into the merits of what are the sticking issues, but if you are not going to compromise then there is no point in dialoguing,' said Biti, secretary general and chief negotiatior of the Movement for Democratic Change.

He said the 'people's will' was reflected in Zimbabwe's March 29 first round presidential election, when Tsvangirai finished ahead of Mugabe.

The opposition leader boycotted the June run-off, citing violence against his supporters.

'It is the duty of everyone to recognize the people's will as reflected on the 29th of March 2008,' Biti said.