PRAGUE (Reuters) - The Czech governing coalition wants to continue in its present form but has not yet resolved a dispute brought on by a threat from the junior ruling LIDEM party to quit, coalition officials said on Tuesday.

Ministers from the small, centrist LIDEM said last month it would resign on January 10 after Prime Minister Petr Necas removed its leader, Karolina Peake, as defense minister and sparked a row in the shaky minority government.

LIDEM deputy Chairwoman Dagmar Navratilova said the threat of resignation remained open but negotiations were continuing. She added the party's decision should be clear later on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Robert Mueller and Jana Mlcochova; Writing by Jason Hovet; Editing by Michael Winfrey)