Progress but no deal at Madagascar talks
2012-12-15 14:50
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Marc Ravalomanana
Marc Ravalomanana (born December 12, 1949, in Imerinkasinina) is a Malagasy politician who was the...
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Dar es Salaam - Madagascan leader Andry Rajoelina said there
had been "significant progress" at talks in Tanzania to end his
country's three-year-old political crisis, but headed home on Saturday without
striking a conclusive deal to end the stalemate.
Mediators have been struggling to find a way to restore
constitutional rule in Madagascar since Rajoelina ousted former president Marc
Ravalomanana with military backing in March 2009.
Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete is urging both rivals not
to stand in elections scheduled for next year, the culmination of a roadmap
drawn up by mediators from the 15-nation South African Development Community
(SADC).
Upbeat
The Tanzanian and Madagascan leaders sounded an upbeat note
at the end of their talks, promising to "conclude the matter" at
another meeting before the end of the month - though Rajoelina left without
resolving the issue of his candidacy.
"The talks were held in a cordial and friendly atmosphere
and significant progress has been made," Kikwete and Rajoelina said in a
joint statement late on Friday.
"The two leaders agreed to have further consultations
with relevant stakeholders prior to meeting again before the end of the month
to conclude the matter."
Tanzania announced on Tuesday that ex-president Ravalomanana
had agreed not to stand in the elections, and mediators' hopes had been running
high that his rival Rajoelina would follow suit.
The Tanzanian president, the chair of the SADC political,
security and defence panel, had earlier said the regional bloc had tasked him
with the job of pressing Rajoelina not to run "as a way towards resolving
the crisis".
But there was no announcement on the issue following the
talks.
Ex-president Ravalomanana - who fled to South Africa after
his ouster, and whose return from exile has been a major sticking point in
mediation efforts - is planning to return to Madagascar, said the joint
statement issued after the talks.
He will "seek peace and work together with the people
of Madagascar in reconstructing and rebuilding our country", it said.
