Bolivia government and rivals say talks pact imminent

By Eduardo Garcia and Simon Gardner

LA PAZ (Reuters) - Bolivia's government and rightist rivals said on Monday they had nearly agreed on a framework for dialogue to try to defuse a political crisis and hoped to clinch a pact at new talks later in the day.

President Evo Morales met for talks into the early hours with Mario Cossio, governor of gas-rich Tarija province and representative of a clutch of pro-autonomy right-wing governors bitterly opposed to his socialist reforms.

They agreed to resume talks later on Monday, once Morales returns from a visit to a summit South American presidents are holding in Chile to try to broker a resolution to the crisis, which flared into deadly clashes that killed as many as 30 people.

An unstable country with massive natural gas reserves at the heart of South America, Bolivia has been rocked in the past week as supporters of opposition governors stepped up rejection of Morales' plans for pro-indigenous constitutional reforms.

Morales, among a new generation of leftist leaders in Latin America and allied closely with Venezuela's anti-Washington leader, Hugo Chavez, has accused his opponents of striving to topple him.

"It is better to take a bit more time to make sure we get it right rather than end badly or not at all," Cossio told reporters after a second session of overnight talks at the presidential palace.

"So we have agreed to give ourselves another break and see each other again tomorrow night once the president returns from Chile," he added. "We are advancing well. I hope we can have everything finished by tomorrow."

Chavez and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are among leaders due to attend the summit in Santiago.