AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - Fear of coup following ultimatum presented by army to politicians

Antananarivo (Agenzia Fides) – Fears of a military coup have come following the ultimatum set by the Army Chief of Staff to the President of the High Authority Transition, Andry Rajoelina, requiring him to submit, by the end of April, a detailed plan to make Madagascar emerge from the serious political crisis it has been experiencing for the last 13 months.
General Andre Andriarijoana, who supported Rajoelina in opposing President Marc Ravalomanana and leading the way to with his resignation and exile in March of last year, has also asked the administration Rajoelina for a concrete plan to pay the salaries of the public sector.
"We call on politicians to end the demonstrations and take part in building up the nation." "The intervention of the Chief of the Army has raised rumors about a possible coup by the military, but for now it seems that the military wants to put pressure on politicians to put an end to the crisis," sources from Radio Don Bosco, the largest Catholic station in Madagascar, told Fides.
Last month, the African Union imposed sanctions targeted at Rajoelina and over 100 of his supporters. Even the European Union is considering the possibility of adopting similar penalties. The sanctions were imposed to force Rajoelina to implement the agreements signed with the movements that are led respectively by the 3 former heads of state Marc Ravalomanana, Didier Ratsiraka, and Albert Zafy. The agreements signed in Maputo (Mozambique) and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) call for the creation of a government of national unity to lead the country into elections. Negotiations for the settlement of the national unity government have stalled, however, and Rajoelina has decided to proceed with the formation of his government and holding elections without consulting the other movements.
"The words of the Chief of Staff have been appreciated by the former President Ravalomanana and seem to have pushed Rajoelina to seek agreement with his main rival," sources told Fides. "It has not been officially confirmed, but there is a 90% probability of a meeting to be held between Ravalomanana and Rajoelina in South Africa, April 24. Tonight, Rajoelina will address the nation and perhaps confirm the meeting.”
Today, April 14, a handover of power from the Defense Minister Noel Rakotonandrasana, fired by Rajoelina, and the Prime Minister, who will assume the role of interim Defense Minister. Rakotonandrasana has, however, said that he will not leave his post, creating new frictions in an already confused and complicated situation. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 14/4/2010)