Mashhad, Iran; 21 February 1997 (RFE/RL) - Tajik President Imomali Rahmonov and Tajik opposition leader Abdulloh Nuri met in Mashhad in northeastern Iran today and agreed on the formation of a coalition government and the composition of a reconciliation commission.
The government will grant the opposition 30 percent of the cabinet seats in the central government and in local governments.
The Reconciliation Commission will consist of 26 members, 13 from the government and 13 from the opposition. The commission will be headed by an opposition member, whose deputy will be from the government.
No agreement was reached on the participation of a "third force" in the commission. But it is being reported that the government agreed that the opposition could share its portion of seats with other groups.
The agreements will be signed later today in Mashhad in a ceremony attended by Rahmonov, Nuri, as well as Iranian Foreign Minister Velayati. Other details of the conciliation between the two sides are expected to be finalized in the next round of talks between the experts of the two sides due to start Wednesday in Moscow.