Tandja bows to pressure

2009-12-25 07:48

Niamey - Niger's government and opposition resumed talks on Thursday aimed at ending months of political crisis sparked by President Mamadou Tandja's refusal to stand down at the end of his second term.

Representatives of both sides met in a Niamey conference centre to continue the closed-door talks that began Monday but were called off two days later following a government walk-out.

Tandja's camp left in protest after the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) said the president's mandate expired on Tuesday, dismissing a new constitution he pushed through to give himself three more years in office.

But the Niger leader later backed down under international pressure, including a US announcement that it was suspending millions of dollars of non-humanitarian aid.

Former Nigerian president Abdulsalami Abubakar, appointed as mediator by Ecowas, welcomed the government's return to negotiations.

He stressed the "importance of a dialogue between Nigeriens, based on trust, as a means of finding a lasting solution to the current political impasse".

According to an opposition source, a common agenda for negotiations was agreed on Tuesday, but no further details were available.

- AFP