Ruling party, opposition resume dialogue

Togo's Mouvance Presidentielle (Presidential Bloc) and opposition on Tuesday resumed discussions aimed at resolving the country's political crisis, AFP reported. The discussions, within a paritary committee formed to finetune agreements the two sides reached in July 1999, focus essentially on the composition of an independent electoral commission, according to AFP. The political crisis developed in mid-1998, when the opposition contested the result of presidential elections which it said were rigged. Subsequent discussions between the two sides were suspended in January 2000. However, on 12 April, the opposition said there was no longer any obstacle to the resumption of the dialogue with the presidential bloc following the promulgation of a new election law.