Madagascar- Crisis

Talks in Madagascar progress

Article published on the 2009-11-04 Latest update 2009-11-04 18:10 TU

Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina at Addis Ababa meeting, 3 November 2009
(Photo: Reuters)

Solution talks over the Madagascar crisis are making progress in Addis Ababa where the islands top four Political players are meeting. Madagascar's current leader Andry Rajoelina, who toppled president Marc Ravalomanana with the army's backing,  and two other former leaders agreed in Maputo in August to a 15-month transition but have since sparred over power-sharing details.

Former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano said of the meeting "It started well, they are talking to each other openly. There is some progress, even though diverging views remain."

Since this morning, talks have been taking place behind closed doors.

Correspondent Gregoire Pourtier who is following the event told RFI: “We are expecting a first announcement tonight but hope is very small. Marc Ravalomanana doesn’t want Rajoel as President of the transition because he doesn’t want to legitimate a putschist at the head of the country.”

“Joaquim Chissano was stuck in Mozambique and only arrived on Tueday. It was problem for Marc Ravalomanana who is very close to the South African Development Countries. That’s why they only started the discussions last night very late” He said.

There was an agreement signed in Maputo three month ago to find the three heads of the transition: the President, Vice President and the Prime Minister. A concensus was announced by the international community on October the 6^th that  Rajoel should stay as the President of the transition...We don’t know if Ravalomanana will finally accept it. This is the main consensus of these discussions.”

Gregorie Pourtier said diplomats told him they won’t leave Addis Ababa without an agreement.”

Jean Ping, African Union Commission Chairman, reminded them ot their "responsability in the face of history."