Bangla Oppn rules out negotiation with Govt

Khan said Khaleda expressed her outright refusal to negotiate at a meeting yesterday with US Ambassador John Holzman, who was seeking a response to the invitation to talks from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

8220;Nothing else can be discussed8230;The movement to oust Hasina8217;s government will continue,8221; Khan quoted Khaleda as telling Holzman.

The opposition has staged at least 35 days of nationwide strikes since Hasina took office in June 1996. The stoppages, aimed at forcing her to resign and call early parliamentary elections, are routinely accompanied by street violence.

The next national vote is not due before 2001.

Hasina invited the opposition to talksin a speech last month, an offer she repeated verbally last week, but Khaleda has demanded a formal written invitation.

Kaleda8217;s refusal to talk on Wednesday was the first time she had said her party would only discuss the government8217;s resignation.

8220;If we get a formal offer, talks may be held on modalities of implementation of the one-point demand resignation of the government,8221; she said.