Ethiopian opposition pulls out of talks on disputed elections

Oct 7, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopian main opposition groups said Friday they had pulled out of talks with the ruling party aimed at resolving a political stalemate over disputed May elections.

The discussions had begun Sunday in an attempt to head off a threatened opposition boycott of parliament opening on October 10.

“We inform the Ethiopian people and the international community that the negotiation has been discontinued due to the intransigent position taken by the ruling party,” Berhanu Nega of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy said.

The opposition accuses the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) of stealing the elections through massive fraud and of post-vote harassment and intimidation of its supporters.

Government officials acceded to the talks after pressure from donors, but Berhanu said in a joint press conference with the United Ethiopian Democratic Front (UEDF) that the EPRDF had refused to discuss key issues.

“We decided to interrupt the discussions because EPRDF unilaterally decided not to deal with some agenda items that are important for the opposition, like the question of a government of national unity, or the electoral irregularities,” he said.

According to the opposition, the government stipulated that the talks should be limited to eight topics, including respect for the constitution, a commitment to non-violence, parliamentary procedure and access to the media.

“The issue is not about denouncing the fact to have disagreed on some subjects, it is to say that we have been denied the right to discuss some items,” Berhanu said.

The two parties did not say if they would carry out their threat to boycott parliament when it opens.

“We have not decided on what the next steps will be, it is a very sad day,” Berhanu said.

No government spokesman could be reached for comment Friday.

Official results released last month saw the EPRDF and allied parties winning 371 of the 547 parliamentary seats against the opposition’s 175.

(AFP/ST)