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ADDIS ABABA : Madagascar's top four political figures reached an agreement on sharing power ahead of elections next year, a UN official involved in the talks told AFP.
"The Madagascan leaders have managed to reach an accord on putting in place a transitional charter," said UN-appointed mediator Tiebile Drame.
"They agreed on the leadership of transitional institutions, including the presidency, and on power sharing in the government and other institutions," he added.
Andry Rajoelina, a 35-year-old former disc jockey, toppled Madagascan President Marc Ravalomanana with the army's backing on March 17 but has since failed to win the recognition of the international community.
The coup came as a result of months of sometimes violent demonstrations that left the island in diplomatic and institutional limbo, with parallel administrations claiming legitimacy.
Drame said there would be "a consensual president, two consensual co-presidents, a consensus prime minister and a national unity government," but did not elaborate further.
The agreement would be signed overnight from Friday to Saturday, he said.
Rajoelina, Ravalomanana and two other former presidents, Didier Ratsiraka and Albert Zafy, agreed in August to a 15-month transition period but have since sparred over the details of power-sharing.
The four have been meeting in the Ethiopian capital since Tuesday.
Reacting to the breakthrough, AU Peace and Security Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra told AFP it symbolised "the spirit of consensus, the willingness of the Madagascan parties to work together during the transition.
"This acceptance has marked the turning point in the negotiations in order to overcome this stalemate," he added.
Earlier Rajoelina agreed to rejoin the crisis talks after threatening to pull out amid bickering.
Rajoelina, the self-proclaimed president of the Indian Ocean island nation, went back into the talks after several hours of discussions with African Union mediators, who prolonged the negotiations by a day in order to try to reach an agreement.
"I had a long discussion with (chief) mediator (Mozambican former president Joaquim) Chissano today. It is very simple. We have a principle. We have to respect the accords reached on October 6 in Madagascar," he said.
On that date, Rajoelina agreed to accept Eugene Mangalaza, who is close to former president Ratsiraka, as prime minister, in place of his own ally Monja Roindefo.
On Friday, he told AFP that he had "made many concessions," including the loss of Roindefo as government chief.
Late on Thursday Rajoelina walked out of a meeting at the headquarters of the African Union (AU), saying: "If they don't want me as president they're the ones who are to blame" for the talks stalling.
- AFP/vm
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