Polish leaders seek way out:

Leaders of Poland’s ruling and opposition parties have made little progress in a new effort to end a standoff over the ruling party’s position regarding the composition of the top court and other measures.

The Thursday meeting was initiated by ruling party head, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who has appealed for an end to political infighting that has surrounded the measures.

Kaczynski’s conservative Law and Justice party, in power since November, is blamed by the opposition and European bodies for making changes that, they say, have destabilized Poland’s politics and pose a threat to democracy.

Kaczynski said differences remain but a constructive dialogue was opened. Main opposition party leader Grzegorz Schetyna said the sides did not budge from their diverging positions and his Civic Platform will seek other solutions.