Harare, Sept 15 - Zimbabwe's President RobertMugabe signed a power-sharing agreement with opposition rivalMorgan Tsvangirai on Monday, relinquishing some of his powersfor the first time in nearly three decades of iron rule, Reuters reported. The deal followed weeks of tense negotiations to end a deeppolitical crisis compounded by the veteran leader's disputed andunopposed re-election in a widely condemned vote in June. Underthe agreement, Tsvangirai will become prime minister. "This agreement sees the return of hope to all our lives. Itis this hope that provides the foundation of this agreement thatwe sign today, that will provide us with the belief that we canachieve a new Zimbabwe," Tsvangirai said after the signingceremony. Zimbabweans hope the agreement will be a first step inhelping to rescue the once prosperous nation from economiccollapse. Inflation has rocketed to over 11 million percent andmillions have fled to neighbouring southern African countries. Cheers greeted the signing of the deal at a Harare hotel byMugabe, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Tsvangiraiand Arthur Mutambara, who leads a breakaway faction of the MDC,the main opposition party. The three smiling Zimbabwean leaders exchanged copies of theagreement and shook hands in front of South African PresidentThabo Mbeki, who brokered the deal, and other African leaders. --SPA www.spa.gov.sa/590321