The African Union’s top diplomat, Jean Ping, opened talks seeking an end to Madagascar’s year-long political crisis on Thursday with a call to its feuding leaders to respect last year’s power-sharing deals.
An AU document containing compromise proposals and seen by Reuters urged the formation of a consensus government and said the institutions set out in last year’s accords “must be established and made operational without delay”.
The consensus prime minister, Eugene Mangalaza, who was dismissed by President Andry Rajoelina last month, should be re-appointed, it said, adding that legislative and presidential elections should be held by October.
Two of the four main political movements confirmed they had received the document from Ping. It was not immediately clear whether this was a final compromise or the starting point for negotiations.
Rajoelina, Africa’s youngest leader, has in recent weeks torn up a series of internationally brokered power-sharing deals, appointed a military prime minister and is intent on unilaterally organising legislative elections in March.
There are concerns in the opposition and among donor countries that an election hastily organised by a government not recognised internationally will not be free and fair.
“Elections must be held within a time frame that allows for the guarantee of their credibility and transparency,” the document said.
GROWTH CURBED
The turmoil has unsettled foreign investors including Sherritt International, Rio Tinto and Exxon Mobil and dramatically curbed economic growth.
Ping had talks with Rajoelina who has told international mediators to stop meddling in the affairs of the world’s fourth largest island and has previously refused to reopen discussions on a consensus government.
He later met members of each of the three opposition movements and Rajoelina’s camp independently.
Foreign Minister Ny Hasina Andriamanjato told reporters: “This is a proposition and not a condition. We will meet again tomorrow to discuss further. There have been problems putting in place the accords, problems that can’t be resolved on paper.”
Earlier, security forces fired tear gas at a small crowd of anti-government protesters near where the talks were taking place.
The United States has warned Madagascar it could face sanctions if Rajoelina’s administration continues to foster an atmosphere of intimidation and impedes a return to constitutional rule.
Reuters.