Madagascar's opposition leader met President Marc Ravalomanana on Saturday for talks to resolve a power struggle that has killed at least 125 people in the past month, according to Reuters. Andry Rajoelina, 34, a charismatic former mayor of the capital who wants Ravalomanana to step aside, met the president in a building used by church leaders who are mediating. The two rivals left without making any comment after about 50 minutes. The power struggle on the world's fourth largest island has dented its image as a safe destination for foreign companies investing in the mining sector and has scared off tourists. A statement read by Archbishop Odon Razanakolona on behalf of the mediators said the rivals would meet again and had vowed not to incite more trouble. No date was given for the meeting. He said they had agreed to halt public protests, publishing inflammatory statements, putting out misinformation and looting. The statement also called for an end to politically motivated arrests. Earlier on Saturday, Rajoelina's camp said that a prominent Malagasy opposition figure, Jean Theodore Ranjivason, had been arrested. The police denied the allegation. Before the meeting, Rajoelina told a rally of his supporters in Antananarivo to disperse. They had been planning to hold a march later on Saturday. When protesters last marched on the presidential palace, security forces killed 28 people. On Thursday, opposition supporters seized four government ministries to try to install a parallel administration appointed by Rajoelina. The security forces fired in the air and removed them from the buildings on Friday, prompting the opposition to rule out any talks and prepare for a march the following day.
