Delegates to try and narrow differences

After Monday’s summit meeting, heads of delegations attending the Burundi talks will meet from Tuesday to Friday to “narrow their differences” on outstanding sticky issues, regional analysts told IRIN. These include the electoral system, the transitional institutions and army reform. A 200-page compromise draft agreement has been drawn up for the sides to consider ahead of the next round of negotiations in April, which the rebel Forces pour la defense de la democratie (FDD) and Forces nationales de liberation (FNL) are expected to attend. Both the rebel and government sides have stressed that a peace agreement cannot be reached without a ceasefire, and observers are optimistic that negotiations on this issue can now begin in Arusha.