20110606
Xinhua
LUSAKA, June 6 (Xinhhua) -- Zambia's high commissioner to Botswana has said it has been virtually impossible to meet all the warring parties in the Madagascar political crisis, hence the decision to meet them in Botswana, the Zambia Daily Mail reported on Monday.

A meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) was expected to be held in Gaborone, the Botswanan capital on Monday, to be chaired by Zambian President Rupiah Banda to find a solution to the Madagascar political crisis.

The meeting comes in the wake of a resolution by Southern African heads of state and government, who met in Namibia two weeks ago to convene a special meeting of all political parties in Madagascar at the SADC Secretariat in Gaborone.

Marina Nsingo, the Zambian high commissioner to Botswana, said Madagascar had gone through challenging political situations the SADC was attempting to resolve, adding that it had proved to be difficult in the past to meet all the stakeholders in the Indian Ocean island and that the regional body thought it wise to meet them outside Madagascar.

Madagascar was in a political crisis following an uprising that toppled the democratically elected President Marc Ravalomanana, who was currently exiled in South Africa. The country is now managed by a caretaker government, the High Transitional Authority, headed by 36-year-old Andry Rajoelina whose government the international community, including the SADC, does not recognise, according to Daily Mail.

The meeting was scheduled to discuss and agree on a proposed roadmap for the peace process in Madagascar and the will also receive a report and proposed roadmap from former Mozambican President Joachim Chissano, who is the mediator in the political crisis in Madagascar.

The Zambian leader is currently the chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defense and Security Cooperation.