Issued by: Office of the Presidency
15 August 2002
The talks aimed at achieving a ceasefire agreement between the Transitional Government of Burundi and the CNDD-FDD have been adjourned today, 15 August 2002.
This week's discussions, between the transitional government of Burundi and the CNDD-FDD of Pierre Nkurunziza, will resume at a later stage. In the meantime, further work will continue to resolve a few outstanding technical issues.
We are pleased that the Government and the CNDD-EDD were able to hold direct discussions and that they began to create an understanding of how each party views the conflict in Burundi. We trust that the outstanding technical issues will be resolved soon to allow an agreement to be reached between the two parties.
I will return to South Africa today, (15 August 2002), and will come back to Tanzania, on Monday, 19 August 2002, to facilitate the next round of negotiations which will be between the Transitional Government of Burundi and the CNDD-FDD group led by Jean Bosco Ndayikengurukiya, who has expressed preparedness and commitment to engaging in constructive negotiations. We look forward to successful negotiations next week, between this group and the Burundi government.
The armed groups and the Government of Burundi owe it to their compatriots to find solutions to the conflict and allow for the restoration of democracy, peace and stability in Burundi.
We will continue to provide support to allow an understanding to be reached among the different parties, during the period allocated for the current round of negotiations, as mandated by the leadership of the Great Lakes Region and Former President Nelson Mandela.
JACOB G. ZUMA
DEPUTY PRESIDENT: REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA
Inquiries:
Lakela Kaunda, Spokesperson to the Deputy President, on - 2782 782 2575