CBCnews

Dion - Layton talks

A new round opens today in the ongoing political negotiations over what happens to Canada's mission in Afghanistan post February 2009.

Stephane Dion and Jack Layton will meet later this evening in Dion's office to talk.

Layton and the NDP have a clear position on the mission's future: get out as soon as possible.

The Liberals say Canada's combat role must end by 2009.

Neither side seems willing to budge on their position and there is no desire to meet in the middle.

So whatever are the two to talk about?

Layton wants to convince Dion. Dion doesn't want convincing.

At the end of the day, the meeting may result in only one thing: making the positions of the Liberals and the NDP, and all their differences, a whole lot clearer.

And that might be enough for both of them.