Rival Madagascar leaders sign deal

Ravalomanana declared himself president after disputed elections in December

DAKAR, Senegal -- Madagascar's rival presidents have signed a deal in talks mediated by African leaders to defuse an increasingly violent power struggle.

Veteran President Didier Ratsiraka and self-declared new president Marc Ravalomanana agreed that if no clear winner emerged from a recount of last December's election, a new ballot would be held under international supervision.

A Madagascan court on Wednesday annulled the officially announced election result, which gave neither candidate an outright win, and ordered the authorities to re-examine it.

"In the event that neither candidate obtains the majority to be elected from the first round of voting, a popular referendum to choose between the two candidates will be organised," the agreement after talks in Dakar, Senegal, said.

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It said the new ballot would be organised within six months with the help of the United Nations, European Union and Organisation of African Unity.

As the two rival presidents met in Senegal for talks, violence on the African island appeared to be in danger of spiralling of control.

On Tuesday gunmen assassinated a Madagascan general in his hospital bed after he was wounded in a gunfight between members of the armed forces.

Three masked assassins pumped seven bullets into General Raymond Andrianaivo in a hospital in the town of Fianarantsoa, where he was being treated, hospital sources said.

He had been shot in a firefight on Tuesday between two convoys of soldiers loyal to embattled President Ratsiraka, the sources said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Andrianaivo's men shot dead two women protesters at a barricade erected by supporters of Ravalomanana.

President Didier Ratsiraka said a second round of voting was needed

More than 35 people have been killed in clashes involving rival protesters and security forces since the crisis began.

The army on the island of 15 million is divided between supporters of Ratsiraka, a former admiral, and Ravalomanana, a millionaire mayor who accuses the government of rigging December 16 polls.

Ravalomanana seized control of Madagascar's capital and had himself declared president on February 22, saying Ratsiraka rigged the results of the election.

Ravalomanana believes a true vote count would show he won an outright majority. Ratsiraka maintains that a second round is needed to determine the winner.