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10 February 2007
ADDIS ABABA (AFP) - Ethiopian local elections planned for later this year have been postponed after the ruling and opposition parties reached an agreement, the information ministry has said.
No reason was given for the postponement Saturday, but state-run Ethiopian television said the ruling Ethiopian Peoples' Revolution Democratic Front and other opposition parties reached the deal in a "civilised manner" and "demonstrated the rules of procedure."
It was unclear whether the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) -- the main opposition party -- whose entire leadership is in police custody, was part of the deal.
The CUD leadership is currently on trial on charges ranging from treason to genocide and conspiracy for calling for nationwide protests against the results of the May 2005 elections that they say were rigged.
A parliamentary panel said at least 193 people were killed in the post-election violence, which was largely blamed on state security forces.
"The government and the opposition parties have been working in a friendly manner over the past half year," said cabinet minister Shiferaw Jarsso, who is a representative of the government in parliament.
"The house (of peoples' representatives) has endorsed several proclamations and resolutions presented by the Government after thorough discussions with the opposition parties," added Shiferaw.