International mediators negotiating a resolution to the crisis in Madagascar have announced that the rival parties have agreed on an election within 14 months in which both the ousted president, Marc Ravalomanana, and the leader who overthrew him, Andry Rajoelina, could stand for the presidency.
A statement issued by the mediators said the parties had also agreed on the formation of a range of transitional institutions - including a "High Transitional Authority" and a "Transitional Government of National Unity" - to rule the country pending elections.
The mediators comprise representatives of the African Union, the Southern African Development Community, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie and the United Nations.
They said the choice of an election date would depend on an assessment of the country's capacity to arrange credible elections, to be made by international and local experts.
Discussions are continuing on what the mediators described as "the composition and formula for the proportional distribution of seats among executive and legislative institutions."
Their statement also said the parties had agreed to establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and were debating a general amnesty for those who had broken the law. However, any amnesty would exclude "gross" violations of human rights, war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes of genocide.
