Madagascar: UN co-signs accord to defuse political crisis

Meeting in Senegal under the auspices of the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity, the parties to the Madagascar political crisis over disputed presidential elections reached an accord today and agreed on a roadmap to defuse the situation.

According to the agreement signed in Dakar by President Didier Ratsiraka and opposition leader Marc Ravalomanana, the results of December's election results were deemed inconclusive.

The two sides have agreed to a recount of the vote and if those results are still inconclusive, a referendum would be held within six months with the help of the OAU, UN and the European Union. The accord also spells out arrangements for an interim transitional national reconciliation government.

The document was signed, in addition to the two Madagascar parties, by OAU Secretary-General Amara Essy and UN Assistant Secretary-General Ibrahima Fall on behalf of Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The presidents of Senegal, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire and Mozambique are listed as facilitators of the accord.