The negotiations between opposition parties DAP and Keadilan over seats for the next general election have reached a stalemate.

The two parties which have held two meetings to date are insisting on different approaches to finalise matters.

Keadilan wants the negotiations to be settled at the state level, while DAP prefers a national level decision.

Keadilan vice-president and election campaign director Azmin Ali claimed today that the DAP has been unwilling to accept negotiation starting at branch level.

"Keadilan maintains our stand that we allow the states to decide. This is part of democracy to allow our grassroots to participate in the decision-making process," Azmin told malaysiakini .

He reasoned that state leaders have better understanding of situations on the ground, so they should be allowed to make the decisions.

"Only in areas of dispute should the matter be referred to the national leadership," he said adding that he could not understand why DAP was not prepared to accept this position.

Asked why Keadilan had decided to form a national delegation in the first place, Azmin said the team is "needed to lay the foundation for the negotiations".

Despite the setback, Azmin said he had requested state leaders from his party to meet their DAP counterparts by July 30.

"We are giving two months for the states to meet and one month for the national leadership to settle problematic cases," he said.

BA experience

Responding on the issue, DAP secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock said national leaders were in a better position to ensure the effectiveness of seat allocation.

"From my experience in negotiations within the Barisan Alternatif, a lot of problems can be minimised and time saved if the final say is left to the national leadership, which also acts as the co-ordinating body," he said.

Kerk declined to comment on Azmin's claim that DAP was not upholding democracy in the negotiation process.

"I abide by the agreement that both parties should not make any public statement on the progress of the talks and that only joint statements be issued if need be. Keadilan should stick to that agreement," he said.

DAP national publicity chief Ronnie Liu, central executive member and MP Teresa Kok and Youth wing secretary Loke Siew Fook are DAP team members to the negotiation.

Keadilan is represented by vice-president Dr A Xavier Jayakumar, supreme council member Khalid Jaafar and deputy Youth chief Low Chee Cheung.

Keadilan, after the first round of talks, had claimed that it was offered " difficult seats " by DAP, while DAP was upset with Keadilan's eagerness to contest 60 percent of seats in frontline states like Penang, Perak and Selangor.

DAP pulled out of BA in September 2001 after crossing swords with PAS over its ambition to set up an Islamic state.