TUNISIA PURSUES TALKS TO RESOLVE POLITICAL CRISIS

Tunis, 14 Shawwal 1434/20 August 2013 (MINA) – Tunisia on Monday pushed ahead with talks to resolve a political crisis sparked by the assassination of an opposition politician, but with no sign of an end to the deadlock.

Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of the ruling Islamist Ennahda party, and the powerful UGTT trade union’s chief Houcine Abassi held talks to seek a way out of the weeks-old crisis, Modern Ghana quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The leader of the trade union, which is playing a mediating role, was due to present the Islamists’ proposals to the opposition on Tuesday.

Also Read: Muslims Treated as Equals in Taiwan, Says Imam

Ghannouchi, said there had been progress and that he had made certain proposals, which he did not elaborate on.

They were due to meet again on Wednesday.

With neither side showing any sign of softening its stance, the political impasse remains, nearly one month after the assassination of the opposition politician Mohamed Brahmi.

Ennahda revealed on Sunday that Ghannouchi had last week met ex-premier Beji Caid Essebsi, who heads the opposition party Nidaa Tounes and is a sworn a sworn enemy of the moderate Islamist party, while on a European tour.

But few details of their meeting emerged, and Ennahda’s decision-making body on Sunday said it endorsed the position of Ghannouchi, who has proposed a broad-based national unity government while rejecting opposition calls for the formation of a technocrat administration.

Also Read: Eight Points Declaration of Interfaith and Indigenous Communities for Indonesia's Tropical Forests

The president of the party’s Shura Council, Fethi Ayadi said his party supported the idea of “national dialogue,” under the auspices of the presidency, which backs Ennahda, and the UGTT, which is demanding a non-partisan government. (T/P09/P03)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)