Georgia opposition 'set to talk'

Thousands are keeping up the pressure on the government

The president of Georgia has said he is set to meet opposition leaders amid a continuing post-election crisis.

Thousands of protesters who accuse the president of rigging the vote are still on the streets of the capital, Tbilisi.

President Eduard Shevardnadze said he was due to meet opposition leaders Nino Burjanadze and Zurab Zhvania on Wednesday.

But they say the meeting will not take place without a third opposition figure, Mikhail Saakashvili.

"When we meet him, we will meet him as a team of three leaders: Mikhail Saakashvili, Zurab Zhvania and myself. We have no plans of meeting with the president without Mikhail Saakashvili," Ms Burjanadze said.

Mr Saakashvili, of the National Movement, had earlier ruled out new talks, saying opposition demands had to be met.

The president said political opponents who accused him of rigging the vote were his fellow citizens and he wanted a dialogue with them.

Presidential spokesman Kakha Imnadze said a time had not been set for the meeting.

If Shevardnadze does not take serious moves in the near future to take compromise decisions, I shall be forced to back demands on his resignation Nino Burdzhanadze

"The president has said he is ready for dialogue and this is what he is doing," he said.

Ms Burdzhanadze, of the Burdzhanadze-Democrats opposition bloc, said that if Mr Shevardnadze did not take serious moves to make compromises she would support the National Movement's calls for a million-signature petition demanding the president's resignation.

At least 1,500 people have braved pouring rain in the capital for the fourth day running to protest outside parliament.

The government has confirmed that the security forces in the city have been boosted.

Foreign backers

The president met opposition leaders including Mr Saakashvili, on Sunday but the National Movement leader described the meeting as a waste of time.

He has been demanding the resignation of Mr Shevardnadze, whose term in office is not due to expire until 2005.

It is not clear whether Mr Saakashvili will attend the talks

Mr Saakashvili's party accuses the government of rigging the election on 2 November and denying it victory.

Preliminary poll results show the pro-Shevardnadze For a New Georgia bloc leading with 20.6% over the Revival Union on 18.8% and National Movement on 18.1%.

On Monday, Mr Shevardnadze held talks with Revival Union leader Aslan Abashidze - an old rival - at which he appeared to enlist his backing.

News of the emerging new alliance led Mr Saakashvili to declare that the president "aligns himself not only with Abashidze but with the devil too".

Mr Shevardnadze also appeared to win new backing abroad on Tuesday, building on support offered earlier by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He had talks by telephone with the presidents of both Armenia and Azerbaijan, in which they stressed the need for stability in Georgia.