Madagascar deadlock continues

Ravalomanana is ready for talks, under conditions

The self-declared president of Madagascar, Marc Ravalomanana, says he is prepared to meet the incumbent head of state, Didier Ratsiraka, in a attempt to defuse the crisis that has paralysed the country for more than two months.

The roadblocks should be lifted. Madagascar is an indivisible island.

Marc Ravalomanana

But Mr Ravalomanana told BBC News Online that he would hold talks with Mr Ratsiraka only if roadblocks strangling the capital are dismantled.

However, Mr Ratsiraka appears to have dashed hopes of reconciliation by calling his rival "childish" in a television interview.

He also said that Mr Ravalomanana was "afraid" of contesting a second round of voting to decide who had won last December's disputed poll.

Army moves

Mr Ravalomanana, who says he won the elections outright and declared himself president last month, controls the capital, Antananarivo, where he is the mayor.

The city has been starved of fuel because Mr Ratsiraka's supporters have blocked the main road leading to the country's ports.

Some soldiers are trying to reconcile the two rivals

A meeting between the two rivals had been requested by the country's armed forces, according to the French news agency, AFP.

But Mr Ratsiraka did not appear to be ready to give ground in the interview broadcast on Tuesday evening on the private RTA station.

Mr Ravalomanana told BBC News Online he had not been approached directly by Mr Ratsiraka, but added he would have no problem meeting him if traffic resumed between Antananarivo and the main port-city of Tamatave.

Dialogue

Governors supporting Mr Ratsiraka have declared Tamatave as their new capital.

"The roadblocks should be removed," Mr Ravalomanana said. "Madagascar is an indivisible island."

Madagascar's army remains divided between the two rivals.

A number of senior officers have pledged allegiance to Mr Ravalomanana, who has appointed a general, Jules Mamizara, as his defence minister.

But others, including Army Chief of Staff Ismael Mounibou, have continued to back Mr Ratsiraka.

The power struggle began in January with mass protests and a general strike called by Mr Ravalomanana's supporters.

The crisis has shown signs of turning violent - 20 people are thought to have died in clashes in recent weeks.

On Tuesday, Mr Ravalomanana's self-declared government urged people to return to work, in what correspondents said was an attempt to promote dialogue.

France, Madagascar's former colonial power, has also urged both side to reach agreement, and called for the roadblocks to be lifted.