Trinidad and Tobago's two main political parties have agreed to hold fresh elections aimed at ending a six-week-old electoral tie. No date has been set for the new balloting.

Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham made the announcement Tuesday after negotiating separately with the feuding party leaders - Prime Minister Patrick Manning and former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday.

The Bahamian leader is part of a delegation of Caribbean leaders in Trinidad and Tobago to seek a solution to the twin-island nation's political deadlock.

Prime Minister Manning and Mr. Panday met privately Tuesday, and are expected to hold more talks later in the week. The crisis began after their parties each won 18 seats in elections for the 36-member parliament December 10th.

Mr. Panday offered to form a coalition government with Mr. Manning, but the politicians were unable to agree on a power-sharing plan.

President Arthur Robinson broke the tie by naming Mr. Manning to serve as prime minister. Mr. Panday later said the new government was unconstitutional.

The balloting sharpened tensions between citizens of East Indian and African descent in Trinidad and Tobago.

Mr. Panday was the nation's first prime minister of East Indian descent. His United National Congress is generally supported by citizens of Indian descent, while those of African ancestry generally back Mr. Manning's People's National Movement. Mr. Manning previously held the prime minister's post from 1991 to 1995.

Some information for this report provided by AP.

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