Negotiators hold 1st post-Group of Friends meeting to hammer out future arrangements

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Tuesday, May 13, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Government and opposition negotiators have met again with members of the international tripartite committee (United Nations, Carter Center and Organization of American States)  to discuss the future of negotiations and the possibility of signing an agreement. 

• The meeting, which took place at the plush Caracas Tamanaco Hotel, comes after the six-nation Group of Friends urged both sides to reach an agreement. 

Government adviser, Omar Mezza  claims that the Group of Friends took away a clear perception that further discussions should take place within the framework of the National Assembly (AN) and political parties. 

However, political observers say there is confusion about the government's intentions because Executive Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel had said the government will be ready to sign an agreement but not the one that the opposition waved around, which was a draft agreement to be discussed by allies on each side. 

In fact, the government returned from an internal debate with a counter-proposal that the opposition has so far preferred to ignore. Mezza did not refer to the government's proposal but rather repeated that the government policy is to undertake dialog. It is understood that OAS general secretary, Cesar Gaviria, who considers his work has concluded, will return to Caracas on Thursday to check progress or the lack of it. 

In the meantime, OAS Cabinet chief, Fernando Jaramillo is staying on in Caracas along with representatives of the Carter center and UN to monitor the development of dialog and agreement.