11.   The opposition delegation welcomed the offer and suggested the meeting be held at the May round of talks.

12.   The opposition delegation will be led by Ali Akbar Turadzhonzoda, a prominent Islamic cleric driven into exile by the civil war.

13.   The Tajik government delegation is headed by Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov and the opposition delegation by Akhbar Turonjozada, a Moslem cleric.

14.   There were skeptics among the opposition delegation, too.

15.   Akbar Turadjonzode, head of the opposition delegation at ceasefire talks, said government troops had taken the town of Tavildara with the help of Russian military.

16.   Earlier a statement from the opposition delegation, quoted by Interfax news agency, accused Rakhmonov of failing to turn up for the meeting with Nuri.

17.   The opposition delegation to the meeting will include representatives from the component parties of the anti-Taliban alliance.

18.   Witnesses in Khartoum confirmed to AFP that an opposition delegation was received Monday at the presidential palace.

19.   Witnesses in Khartoum, contacted from Cairo, confirmed that an opposition delegation had been received at the presidential palace but were unable to provide more information.

20.   Nigerian police tried to prevent an opposition delegation hostile to the military junta from meeting a UN investigative team currently in the country, press reports said Thursday.