“Two-stage transition”, Buyoya says

Burundi President Pierre Buyoya, speaking before leaving for the OAU meeting in Zambia on Sunday, said the transition would be in two phases. “Now, the transition will definitely take place in two stages - before the ceasefire and after the ceasefire,” he told Burundi radio. Referring to political discussions on whether there would be a “pre-transition” followed by a “transition”, he said: “I would not like to provoke a war of words now”. “I believe it is not important. I believe that in the days to come we will make progress on the issues which still persist,” Buyoya said.