Mauritanian media highlight president Aziz’s dialogue offer to opposition

Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA) – Mauritanian newspapers this week devoted a large part of their analysis and comments to President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz's offer of dialogue to the opposition during the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence.

In its Wednesday 1 December edition, “Le Quotidien de Nouakchott” asked if the Coordination of Democratic Opposition (COD), which brings together nine political parties, has swallowed the precondition of the points included in the Dakar agreement.

The Dakar agreement led to the holding of the 18 July, 2009 presidential election, which helped the country return to the rule of law after the 6 August, 2008 coup.

That newspaper noted that COD, by favourably welcoming the call for dialogue, has taken president Aziz at his word.

The newspaper wrote that the acceptance of the offer for dialogue would give president Aziz “elbow rooms in the perspective to set up new government”.

The weekly magazine, “Le Calame” refered to a “new impetus to dialogue” saying “50 years after independence, it is high time Mauritanians put an end to their poor democratic culture which, so far, has prevented it from establishing a true national debate, sparking taboo around many important issues as slavery and community coexistence”.

For the newspaper, the thorny nature of those issues “must no longer exclude their lucid analysis”.

“Le Rénovateur” saw the answer of the opposition to the dialogue as “Yes, but”.

The newspaper said “that the political dialogue is moving to a cruising speed never reached before” with “true chances to be successful on the ground” and without foreign intervention.

“Nouakchott-Info” announced without comments the “favourable reaction of COD to the proposal for dialogue made by president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz”.

“Biladi” said “the president of the Republic has publicly called his opponents for dialogue; something which he has never done previously”, which had tended to “help Mauritania face challenges and dangers”.
-0- PANA SAS/JSG/MSA/MA 4Dec2010