Awwal 15, 1432 H/Feb 18, 2011, SPA -- Madagascar urged an airline expected to carry exiled leader Marc Ravalomanana back to the Indian Ocean island on Saturday to block his departure for security reasons, Reuters quoted a senior civil aviation source as saying on Friday. Ravalomanana fled to South Africa two years ago when dissident troops swung behind popular street protests against his perceived autocratic leadership, triggering a bitter leadership dispute. "On a ministerial order, we have told the (airline) company that it was preferred this person (Ravalomanana) did not board the aircraft for security reasons," the source, who did not identify the airline, told Reuters. No plans were in place to close the capital Antananarivo's international Ivato airport, the source added. Ravalomanana said this week he wanted to help Madagascar, the world's largest vanilla producer, return to democracy. But political analysts say his re-emergence on the national political scene might escalate tension amid international efforts to break the impasse on the formation of a unity government. -- SPA
