Mandela on lightning visit to Bujumbura

Ex-South African president Nelson Mandela arrived on a lightning visit to Burundi on Friday for talks with the army, parliament and diplomats in his capacity as peace mediator. He was also due to have short meeting with President Pierre Buyoya, who greeted him on arrival at the airport. Addressing reporters, Mandela expressed optimism that the peace talks were moving forward and that a solution was near, news organisations reported.

He will return to South Africa later in the day. His visit was preceded this week by an upsurge in fighting in Burundi, which the government and rebels blame on each other, although Bujumbura was reported calm on Friday. Government officials have welcomed the visit, but say it is too short to fully grasp the problems of Burundi, while opponents criticise it
as "giving legitimacy" to the country's rulers. The government's main adversary, the rebel Forces pour la defense de la democratie (FDD), however, has expressed support for the visit.