DAKAR (AlArabiya.net, Agencies)
Mauritania's disputing political parties on Saturday agreed to a symbolic return of the ousted President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi in a bid to end the political crisis in the country, Al Arabiya TV reported.
The agreement followed three days of intensive talks in the Senegalese capital Dakar with mediators from with the United Nations, African Union, European Union and Arab League.
Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade mediates talks between Mauritanian factions Sources said also the parties were on the verge of striking a deal to postpone by several weeks the polls—condemned by the opposition as a sham aimed at legitimizing last year's coup.
Representatives from Mauritania's three main political forces had resumed talks around midday Saturday after meeting late into the night in Dakar.
They ended again after some two hours and the participants headed for the Senegalese presidential palace.
A source close to the negotiations said they were going to submit a draft accord to Senegal’s President Abdoulaye Wade, the head of the negotiating team. |
" We are approaching an agreement " Mohamed Ould Moloud, National Front for the Defence of Democracy After the talks were adjourned Saturday, Senegalese Foreign Minister Tidiane Gadio said, "If there were 10 obstacles, we've got round seven or eight—we are making progress."
"We are approaching an agreement," said Mohamed Ould Moloud of the National Front for the Defence of Democracy, which backs ousted President Cheikh Abdallahi.
Gadio said the meeting which resumed some seven hours later was to iron out the details of the accord.
Also taking part are the supporters of opposition leader Ahmed Ould Daddah and those of General Ould Abdel Aziz, who led the coup on August 6 and last month quit the military to run for president. |
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Details of agreement The intensive talks launched in Dakar on Thursday have focused on postponing the June 6 election to allow the opposition to end a boycott and participate in the vote.
Under a five-page draft accord seen by AFP, Cheikh Abdallahi would formally resign after signing a decree to usher in a transitional period under a temporary government of national union.
This government would update the electoral roll and the issue of voting cards to the electorate.
At the same time confidence-building and peace measures would be introduced as well as a general amnesty.
The measures would include the freeing of politicians arrested by the military in the wake of the coup and subsequently accused of corruption.
The opposition is demanding the release of Yahya Ould Ahmed Waghf, the prime minister in the toppled government, and three other officials held in connection with the collapse of Air Mauritanie, the airline he once headed.
Police have clashed regularly with protesters opposed to the poll in the streets of the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott.
Ould Abdel Aziz is widely expected to win the elections if they go ahead as planned. The former junta chief is running against only three other marginal candidates who have all supported the coup. |
