Top leaders of Tunisia's ruling party and the main labor union UGTT held a meeting on Tuesday in a bid to make a compromise amid the political crisis triggered by the assassination of a major opposition figure late last month.

Mohamed Brahmi, a prominent opposition figure was assassinated on July 25. The UGTT then called for massive strikes and protests across the country to demand the government to resign, rasing fears of violence and threat to the political transition of the North African country, the birthplace of Arab unrest started since late 2010.

The four-hour meeting on Tuesday between Hassine Abbassi, secretary general of the UGTT and Rached Ghannouchi, the head of the ruling Ennahdha Islamic party failed to yield much hope for compromise, but both sides agreed to continue the discussion, according to local media.

The meeting came as thousands of secularists and Ennahdha supporters demonstrated in capital Tunis. The rival protesters hurled stones with each other, both claiming it represented the best model for Tunisians.

During the past few days, Tunisian politicians from all sides have engaged in a series of talks destined to find a solution to the country's ongoing political crisis which is crippling with the transitional process.

The talks also take place as the Tunisian army is waging a massive operation against al-Qaida militants entrenched in the rugged terrain of Mountain Chaambi, near the border with Algeria.

The success or failure of the talks may determine whether the country could avert the Egyptian or Libyan scenario and conclude its long-awaited transition, analysts noted, adding a political compromise is the only solution to set the country back on track.