Madagascar's Rajoelina optimistic about outcome of Pretoria talks

The president of the Highest Transitional Authority (HAT) in Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, is optimistic about the outcome of talks in Pretoria, South Africa to end the year-long political crisis in the Indian Ocean island country.

Rajoelina left for South Africa on Tuesday to meet with former president Marc Ravalomanana the next day on a new peace deal after the agreements reached last year failed.

The 36-year-old HAT leader did not hide his optimism regarding the outcome of the meeting before his departure.

"Madagascan people are getting impatient. We shall make the final decisions in Pretoria. We should no longer elongate the transition," Rajoelina declared at the Antananarivo international airport.

"I hope that we shall no longer take our battles to the streets and continue with endless political squabbles and futile discussions on how to share power," he added.

The HAT president reaffirmed that "an accord" which gives a clear roadmap on how to end the crisis had already been agreed upon by the two main protagonists.

"Of course we are only going to Pretoria in South Africa to sign the agreement," he said.


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