The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has presented rival sides in Niger's political crisis with a road map to resolve the conflict, the authorities and the opposition said Friday. The mediator, Nigerian former president Abdulsalami Abubakar, on Thursday presented 'a document concerning his suggestions and asked us to make written proposals by January 26,' said Nouhou Arzika, representing the government. Arzika added that Abubakar envisaged face to face talks between President Mamadou Tandja's side and the opposition on February 4 and hoped to wrap up discussions by February 8. 'We have to work on a synthesis by the mediator of propositions made by the different parties,' opposition spokesman Bazoum Mohamed said. Neither Arzika nor Mohamed gave any details of what was in Abubakar's plan. ECOWAS has been mediating in the large and desperately poor country on the southern edge of the Sahara since December 21. The opposition wants a transition period to draft a new constitution and organise democratic elections. Privately owned newspapers close to Tandja's side reported that he has proposed keeping a new constitution he forced through last August, but was ready to bring the opposition into the running of the state. After almost 10 years in power, Tandja won a highly controversial extension of his mandate for at least another three years by way of the constitutional referendum, which was vigorously opposed and then boycotted by his foes. The president went on to call parliamentary elections last October, which were also boycotted by the opposition and led to Niger's suspension from ECOWAS and the suspension of development aid by the European Union. The United States has also imposed sanctions on Tandja's regime. 