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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Abandoning what may be the last OAS attempt to mediate an end to Haiti's 2-year-old political impasse, Assistant Secretary-General Luigi Einaudi left Wednesday, empty-handed.

"The way we have approached the problem has not produced the expected results," Einaudi told reporters as he prepared to fly back to the Organization of American States headquarters in Washington D.C.

"We need a new formula," he said, without spelling out an alternative.

But Einaudi's impatience with opposition politicians filtered into his brief comments, leading some to conclude that the OAS may bypass them in future.

"The curtain has fallen on the sorry farce of OAS-mediated talks," said former President Leslie Manigat, who withdrew from the opposition negotiating team earlier this year.

Now, the OAS probably will use the pretext of an upcoming electoral deadline to go with an elections timetable set by President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's Lavalas Family party, Manigat suggested.

Einaudi's visit, which began Friday, was his third this year and his 24th since the crisis arose over flawed 2000 legislative elections swept by Aristide's party.

The international community blocked hundreds of millions of dollars in aid that it says will not be released until both sides agree on new elections.

Einaudi said he would ask the OAS Permanent Council for new instructions later this month.

The opposition coalition and Aristide's party broke off talks after a Dec. 17 armed attack on the National Palace. At least 10 people were killed in the attack and subsequent violence instigated by Aristide supporters who torched opposition party offices.

Opposition leaders maintain the coup was staged to give the government a pretext to clamp down on opponents, and they refuse to negotiate until Aristide partisans are disarmed and those who attacked them are brought to justice.

"The ball is in Aristide's court. But he doesn't want to play according to the rules," said opposition politician Jacques Jose Nicolas.

Aristide party spokesman Jonas Petit countered "We are ready to negotiate. But the opposition is holding out because, at bottom, it wants President Aristide to resign and general elections."

Einaudi met with Aristide on Monday and insisted that "The government is assuming its responsibilities."

Aristide has proposed elections for all 83 seats House of Assembly seats and two-thirds of the 27-seat Senate in November. Local elections would be held next year.

Haiti's legislature becomes inoperative in November, and Aristide will have to rule by decree if it is not renewed.