UN envoy expected to meet Tajik President and opposition

Reports from Tajikistan say the UN special envoy, Dietrich Merrem, is expected to hold separate meetings today with the leader of the Islamic opposition, Said Abdulloh Nuri, and President Rakhmonov.

The Tajik authorities hope Mr Merrem can help resolve the current crisis in the peace process after the opposition suspended its participation in the National Reconciliation Commission last week.

The opposition and the government accuse each other of failing to implement provisions of a peace accord signed last year.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service