Antananarivo  - Madagascar's President Marc Ravalomanana and opposition leader Andry Rajoelina were set to hold substantive negotiations on the island's month-long political crisis Monday after agreeing at the weekend to avoid further confrontation.

At their first meeting Saturday, the two rivals vowed to try to defuse the tensions that have claimed over 100 lives on the Indian Ocean island since late January when the opposition began a series of mass demonstrations over Ravalomanana's rule.

In an address to the nation afterwards, the 59-year-old president of seven years stressed the need for unity among Madagascans and the need for the impoverished country to solve its own problems.

On Monday, he and Rajoelina, the 34-year-old former mayor of the capital Antananarivo, whom the government sacked for openly challenging Ravalomanana's leadership, would begin "proper" talks, he said.

Rajoelina, for his part, announced the suspension of the opposition's campaign of demonstrations and promised to ensure his radio and TV station did not broadcast misleading information.

This follows reports in his and other local media Friday that eight opposition demonstrators were killed when the army retook four ministry buildings from the opposition. The opposition had been trying to install Rajoelina's choices of ministers.

A local hospital said later only three people had been injured in the operation. A further 50 people had been arrested at the scene but have since been released, Rajoelina announced Saturday.

The 45-minute encounter between Rajoelina and Ravalomanana was organized by the Council of Christian Churches in Madagascar.

Observers said it appeared the meeting was prompted by Rajoelina calling on his supporters Friday to prepare for a "long march" on Saturday, harkening back to Ravalomanana's own months-long and ultimately successful campaign to oust dictator Didier Ratsiraka from power in 2002 after disputed elections.

Rajoelina accuses Ravalomanana of authoritarianism and mismanaging public funds. He had been calling for his government to be replaced by an interim two-year government. Analysts now say a unity government is a more likely outcome. dpa