Hopes for an early decision by the Democratic Movement for Change to resume negotiations with Likud on joining its coalition government faded today. The possibility remains open but following a meeting yesterday between Premier Menachem Begin and DMC leader Yigael Yadin, new problems appeared to arise indicating further delay.
The DMC Secretariate which heard Yadin’s report of the meeting, debated all day yesterday and today. The outcome was a request for further clarification from Likud. The stumbling black now is not only Likud’s foreign policy approach but political matters. The DMC wants to know exactly where Likud stands on its demand for electoral reforms. The DMC also says Likud’s offer of Cabinet portfolios was vogue.
Before he formed his government, Begin said all portfolios were negotiable. Now, with most of them filled, the DMC wants to know if there is anything to negotiate about. Begin did leave three ministries vacant–Justice, Welfare and Transportation and Communications–which he said were reserved for the DMC. But it is not known whether these were acceptable to it. The DMC Secretariate will meet again Thursday when it may decide whether or not conditions are suitable to resume talks with Likud.
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