Obama, top Republican agree to 'keep talking'

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama spoke by telephone Friday with Republican House Speaker John Boehner as the rivals seek to thrash out a deal to re-open government and raise the US debt ceiling.

"The president and the speaker spoke by telephone a few minutes ago. They agreed that we should all keep talking," Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said in a brief statement.

White House spokesman Jay Carney characterized it as "a good conversation."

"The two of them agreed that all sides need to keep talking on the issues here that are confronting us that have led to a shutdown of the government and to the situation that has put us on the precipice of... potential default," Carney said.

The call came a few hours after Obama met at the White House with Senate Republicans to discuss a possible pathway out of the twin crises that threaten to plunge the US economy into turmoil.

Several of those lawmakers emerged to express measured optimism about a deal that could soon take shape.

House Republican leaders meanwhile huddled in Boehner's office in the US Capitol on day 11 of the government shutdown.

There are just six days remaining before the October 17 deadline, when the Treasury could run out of money and begin defaulting on US obligations for the first time in history.

"We're waiting to see if we can have some productive results from these negotiations," number two House Republican Eric Cantor told reporters.

"The good thing is that there are negotiations ongoing. That is much more progress than has been the case lately." (AFP)