Belgium’s king refused to accept the resignation of the prime minister and his government Thursday, calling on key officials to redouble efforts to resolve an longtime disagreement over more self-rule for the country’s Dutch and French speakers.

King Albert II asked politicians from both language camps to help sort out a deepening split over reforms that threatens to tear apart this nation of 6.5 million.

He called for a “credible” dialogue about more regional autonomy, and rejected for now Monday’s resignation of the government of Prime Minister Yves Leterme.

The royal palace said in a statement that the monarch asked Leterme “to encourage as best as is possible” chances of launching a constitutional reform debate.

Leterme offered the resignation after he failed to get his cabinet _ an unwieldy alliance of Christian Democrats, Liberals, Socialists and nationalist hard-liners from both language camps that took office March 20 _ to agree on a future together by devolving more federal powers to Flanders and Wallonia.

Efforts to grant Belgium’s Dutch and French-speaking communities more self-rule began in the 1970s. Since then education, housing, trade, tourism, agriculture and other areas were shifted from the federal government, while Dutch-speaking Flanders, Francophone Wallonia and bilingual Brussels were given regional governments and parliaments.

Now Francophone parties accuse Dutch-speakers of trying to separate themselves completely.

Flemish parties want their more prosperous, Dutch-speaking northern half of the country to be more autonomous by shifting corporate and other taxes, some social security measures, transport, health, labor and justice matters to the language regions.

Mainstream Flemish politicians say there is room for more regional autonomy in one country but hardline nationalist parties in Flanders advocate the breakup of Belgium.