Burundi Peace Accord to Be signed on August 28: MandelaPeace in Burundi is just a few weeks away, said former South African president Nelson Mandela on Friday after talks with visiting Burundi President Pierre Buyoya.He said the Burundian peace process has made "tremendous progress" and he is encouraged that everything is going smoothly according to plan. According to Mandela, he is confident "we will be able to remove all impediments before August 28", the scheduled date for all warring parties in Burundi to sign a peace accord. Buyoyo described the talks with Mandela as very positive, saying "we have agreed on a way of working that will propel peace negotiations forward." Mandela was appointed mediator for the seven-year conflict in Burundi last December to succeed the late former Tanzanian president Julius Nyerere. Peace talks between the Burundian government and opposition leaders stalled last month over the release of political prisoners and the implementation of the forthcoming peace accord. Mandela indicated that he has asked President Thabo Mbeki to take time to meet his Burundian counterpart over the matter, which he regarded as very important. Buyoya is due to meet South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma on Saturday. |
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