By Cris Chinaka

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe welcomes the African Union's call for a unity government and is ready to talk to the opposition to end the political crisis there, one of his ministers said on Wednesday.

African leaders at a summit in Egypt on Tuesday urged Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to begin negotiations to end the crisis over Mugabe's re-election in a widely criticised one-candidate poll from which Tsvangirai withdrew.

"The AU resolution is in conformity to what President Mugabe said at his inauguration, when he said we are prepared to talk in order to resolve our problems," Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu told Reuters.

"We are committed to talk, not just with Tsvangirai but to other parties as well."

Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change said on Wednesday it was open to talks with Mugabe if they lead to the holding of a new election.

"What we have always said is we want a transitional arrangement that will create conditions for a free and fair election," MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said.

Tsvangirai is expected to hold a news conference later on Wednesday.

Mugabe, 84, was sworn in for a new five-year term on Sunday after election authorities announced he had won about 85 percent of the vote in a run-off, which was condemned by monitors and much of world opinion as violent and unfair.

Tsvangirai defeated Mugabe in the presidential vote on March 29 but failed to win an absolute majority.

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