“Monday’s signing not the end of talks” - EU envoy

The European Union (EU) special envoy for the Great Lakes region, Aldo Ajello, on Thursday told journalists in Bujumbura that although quite a number of issues needed to be clarified in the draft agreement, “for the moment we must remain calm and try to work quietly and try to make 28 August a historic day for the country”. “I believe that on Monday 28 August we will be able to have something to sign and I hope that the peace process will not end on Monday,” Ajello said, according to Burundi radio. “I believe and hope that there will be consensus on a large part of the draft but there are certain elements on which consensus can certainly not be reached for the sake of objectivity...There will nevertheless be time after the signing to enable the dialogue process to continue here in this country, so that the Burundians can participate in it,” he said. He was speaking in Burundi where he held talks with President Pierre Buyoya on Thursday.