Rejecting claims by the Congress of SA Trade Unions and the Treatment Action Campaign that consensus had been reached on a text, he said this was a half-truth "packaged with the smartest form of sophistication".
"I would like to categorically and unequivocally state today...that the assertion that Nedlac (National Economic Development and Labour Council) parties have reached an agreement on this matter is false, and devoid of truth," he said.
His statement, made at a parliamentary media briefing, follows similar denials this week by President Thabo Mbeki and Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.
"As government we are not going to pull out of these negotiations on the basis that there has been this unfortunate occurrence or this misperception created," Ramashia said.
"We remain committed to the process, and would like to commit ourselves to continue dialogue with our social partners."
He said a number of aspects in a draft text proposed by Cosatu and the TAC, including the creation of pilot sites for rolling out antiretroviral treatment, had been "square bracketed" at government's request, to indicate no agreement had been reached.
He said the government could not commit itself to targets and timeframes proposed in the text without a report back, expected late March or April from a specially-appointed Treasury and health department task team.
TAC chairman Zackie Achmat, who attended the briefing, tried twice to intervene, first saying he wanted to ask a question, and then requesting an opportunity to make a short statement.
He was rebuffed by labour ministry media spokesman Snuki Zikalala, who said the briefing was for media only.
Speaking to journalists in the same venue afterwards, Achmat said he was glad to hear the government admitting that there had been a negotiating process on the document, because up to now every government spokesperson had denied this.
More than 80 days had passed since the document was approved in its present form, and every day 600 people had died of Aids-related illnesses.
"That is the real issue... What we appeal to the government to do immediately and for business, is to return to the negotiation table so all of us can get past this difficult period."
Achmat said a Nedlac technical task team had in fact reached agreement on "the entire document", and there were minutes to that effect "unless they're going to doctor them".
"From our point of view we don't want to dwell on the negatives now. What we want to appeal to government, really, really appeal to government, is let's get down and sort this out before we have serious social conflict."
The TAC has threatened a civil disobedience campaign if the government does not give the go-ahead to an ARV treatment plan - Sapa.
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