MADAGASCAR: UN TAKES PART IN NEW TALKS AIMED AT ENDING POLITICAL CRISIS

A senior United Nations official is participating today in fresh talks aimed at peacefully resolving the ongoing political crisis in the Indian Ocean nation of Madagascar.

Tiébilé Dramé, the senior UN political adviser on Madagascar, is part of an international mediation team that is brokering the talks in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, a UN spokesperson told journalists today.

Following weeks of unrest in Madagascar near the start of this year, President Marc Ravalomanana resigned in early March, amid a dispute with the mayor of the capital, Antananarivo, Andry Rajoelina, who now leads the country.

The crisis led to numerous politically motivated arrests, widespread violence and killings, and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged all sides to resume dialogue in a bid to end their differences.

Today's mediation efforts in Maputo are being chaired by former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and they also include envoys from the African Union and La Francophonie.
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BAN CALLS ON PAKISTAN’S LEADERS TO RESOLVE DIFFERENCES THROUGH DIALOGUE

BAN CALLS ON PAKISTAN'S LEADERS TO RESOLVE DIFFERENCES THROUGH DIALOGUE
New York, Mar 13 2009 7:01PM

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, concerned about the current political crisis in Pakistan, has called on the country's leaders to engage in dialogue to resolve their differences.

There is reportedly growing tension in the South Asian nation amid a dispute between President Asif Ali Zardari and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif concerning the restoration of fired judges and other issues. This has been accompanied by increasing demonstrations around the country.

"The Secretary-General is concerned about the current political and security situation in Pakistan," UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters in New York.

"Pakistan's leaders, whether in power or in the opposition, have the responsibility first and foremost to ensure the safety and security of the Pakistani people," Mr. Haq said. "Any action that they undertake should bear this in mind.

"The Secretary-General calls upon Pakistan's leaders to solve all their differences through an honest dialogue to be able to deal with the multitude of challenges the country and the region face," the spokesperson added.
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