Political talks 'fruitful'

2005-10-03 12:59

Addis Ababa - Ethiopia's main opposition parties said on Monday that preliminary talks with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi aimed at defusing tensions in the wake of controversial elections were cordial and fruitful.

The talks focused on the opposition's differences with the government over charges that the ruling EPRDF Party fraudulently won the country's mid-May elections.

During the initial talks on Sunday, which lasted for nearly four hours, the parties outlined their positions on what the talks should entail.

The talks were described as "cordial, business-like and fruitful" by Dr Beyene Petros, chair of the Union of Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF).

"It was agreed to continue the discussions on Tuesday to decide on the framework with which to conduct the talks," Dr. Berhanu Nega, an executive of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (CUDP), said.

The talks were arranged on Saturday by the ambassadors of the United States and Britain as tension mounted in the country prior to a three-day stay-at-home strike called for Monday.

US acting ambassador Vicki Huddleston and British ambassador Bob Dewar succeeded in getting Meles and the opposition to agree on a face to face meeting and also persuaded the opposition to cancel their strike call.

The first business when the parties meet on Tuesday would be a demand by the opposition for the release of hundreds of their members and supporters and an end to harassment, according to sources close to the CUDP. - Sapa-dpa

- SAPA