BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- Belgium's king refused to accept the resignation of the prime minister and his government, calling on key officials to redouble efforts to resolve a longtime disagreement over more self-rule for the country's Dutch and French speakers.
Belgium's king rejected, for now, the resignation of Prime Minister Yves Leterme, as seen in May 2007.
King Albert II on Thursday asked both politicians from both language camps to help sort out a deepening split over reforms that threatens to tear apart this nation of 6.5 million.
The Belgian monarch urged the politicians from Dutch-speaking Flanders and Francophone Wallonia to begin a "credible" dialogue about more regional autonomy.
He rejected, for now, Monday's resignation of the government of Prime Minister Yves Leterme. The royal palace said in a statement that the monarch asked Leterme "to encourage as best as is possible" chances of launching a constitutional reform debate.
Leterme offered the resignation after he failed to get his cabinet to agree on a future together by devolving more federal powers to Flanders and Wallonia. The unwieldy alliance comprises Christian Democrats, Liberals, Socialists and nationalist hard-liners from both language camps that took office March 20.
Efforts to grant Belgium's Dutch and French-speaking communities more self-rule began in the 1970s. Since then education, housing, trade, tourism, agriculture and other areas were shifted from the federal government, while Flanders, Wallonia and bilingual Brussels were given regional governments and parliaments.
Now Francophone parties accuse Dutch speakers of trying to separate themselves completely.
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Flemish parties want their more prosperous, Dutch-speaking northern half of the country to be more autonomous by shifting corporate and other taxes, some social security measures, transport, health, labor and justice matters to the language regions.
Mainstream Flemish politicians say there is room for more regional autonomy in one country, but hardline nationalist parties in Flanders advocate the breakup of Belgium
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