Albanian political parties meet to resolve crisis

Albania's president has started round-table talks with the government and the main opposition party to end a seven-month political crisis over alleged electoral fraud.

The leader Edi Rama, also Tirana mayor, met Saturday at President Bamir Topi's office. The Socialists have boycotted Parliament for months blocking most legislative work and staged large protests.

They claim the Democrats manipulated vote-counting in the June 28 national elections and are demanding a recount which the government has ruled out.

A statement is expected at the end of the talks. The Democrats control 75 of parliament's 140 seats; the Socialists have 65.