Calderón, who won the disputed July 2 election by just more than half a percentage point, sent a letter to the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) and its two allies in Congress, the Labor and Convergence parties, listing points of agreement between the bitterly competing political forces.

"I welcome the fact that our agreements are greater than the discrepancies that separate us," Calderón wrote, making reference to a position statement previously released by the PRD-led coalition. "I can affirm those agreements in finding that regarding various points in your document we share the same proposals and objectives."

The president-elect listed a dozen issues in which he said the PRD and his National Action Party (PAN) agree.

Among them are a single-payer health system covering all Mexicans, exploring the possibility of a pension system for poor senior citizens, and a national scholarship system designed to keep students at all levels in school.

Calderón also said he agrees with the PRD´s position on maintaining petroleum resources under national control.

"I share the rejection of privatizing petroleum and electricity," he wrote. "We agree on the need to strengthen these public enterprises, especially Pemex (Petróleos Mexicanos) and CFE (the Federal Electricity Commission)."

Calderón also said he has asked his top political adviser, Jorge Alcocer, a former member of the PRD, to deliver a missive that delineates the possible starting points for legislative consensus to each of the parties.

The letter can be seen as an olive branch held out to López Obrador and the PRD, which are planning an as-yet undisclosed civil disobedience action to block Calderón´s Dec. 1 swearing-in ceremony.

However, the basis of the PRD´s protest actions are not as much Calderón´s position on future legislative issues, but his very claim to the presidency.

López Obrador insists Calderón´s victory was fraudulent and illegal, and plans to have himself inaugurated as "legitimate president of Mexico" on Monday.

The Calderón transition team and the Fox administration have stepped up efforts in recent days to head off both protest events through negotiation.

"We can, through dialogue, convert (our agreements) into reforms that are favorable to our common objective - the transformation of Mexico in order to reach higher levels of progress and well-being for all Mexicans."