"The president had (a) satisfactory night at the Percy military hospital in France. The news reports ... are not true," Vice President Rupiah Banda said in a statement.

Earlier on Thursday, South Africa's Talk Radio 702 reported that Mwanawasa had died, quoting a Zambian High Commission spokesman.

Mwanawasa, 59, an outspoken critic of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, was rushed to hospital on Sunday in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh after suffering a stroke just before an African Union summit.

He was later transferred to Paris for treatment.

Banda said Mwanawasa was being treated for hypertension.

"The doctors attending to (Mwanawasa) are happy with progress he has made so far and his condition remains stable. He has continued to receive treatment for hypertension in the intensive care unit and there are no new developments," Banda said.

Mwanawasa chairs the Southern African Development Community, which has been mediating between President Robert Mugabe and the opposition to try to end a political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe.

His illness sidelined one of Mugabe's chief regional critics during an African Union summit at which the veteran Zimbabwean leader suffered unprecedented condemnation from some of his peers, including another neighbour, Botswana.

Zimbabwe's neighbours have been flooded with refugees after the once prosperous nation suffered economic collapse.

The Zambian leader is a favourite of the International Monetary Fund and other Western donors, who extended billions of dollars in debt relief after he cracked down on government spending and launched an anti-graft drive.

He suffered a mild stroke in 2006 but said before being re-elected that year that he was fit to stand for office.