Consultations on presidential candidates go on

Mr. Mohamed Bennour, official spokesman for the Democratic Forum for Labour and Freedoms, aka Ettakatol, said Chairman of his party Mustapha Ben Jaafar conferred, on Monday, with Chairman of the Congress for the Republic Party (CPR) Moncef Marzouki. The meeting allowed to bridge views on the distribution of key positions in the State, and particularly candidacies for the Presidency of the Republic, he said. In a statement to TAP news agency, the Ettakatol official spokesman said: "We do not think there are insurmountable difficulties" in talks between the two sides. The Ettakatol and CPR parties will form with the Ennahdha Movement a solid majority within the NCA on which will be based the Government within the Constituent Assembly. The two parties are bidding for the Presidency of the Republic, while the Ennahdha Movement made it known to take over the prime ministry, for which Hammadi Jebali, Ennahdha's secretary-general, is the only candidate, since the Movement won the largest number of seats (89 seats) in the Constituent Assembly. "Ettakatol takes note of Ennahdha's proposal," also said Mr. Bennour, hinting at the statement made by Hammadi Jebali according to which "Mustapha Ben Jaafar is entitled to become President," adding "we agree on that." For his part, Mr. Samir Ben Amor, CPR politburo member, announced that the proclamation of the new President of the Republic is expected to be made on Tuesday, pointing out that talks between CPR and Ettakatol on the distribution of tasks within the Government "are making substantial progress."