Rebel group ready to continue direct talks

The rebel group Conseil national pour la defense de la democratie-Forces de defense pour la democratie (CNDD-FDD) says it is willing to continue direct talks with the government despite the death of DRC President Laurent-Desire Kabila. “Our movement, CNDD-FDD calls upon the Bujumbura government not to take advantage of the death of Laurent-Desire Kabila to discontinue the direct talks initiated in Libreville,” CNDD-FDD spokesman Jerome Ndiho told the BBC Kirundi service on Tuesday. Earlier this month, the late President Kabila with the help of Gabonese President Omar Bongo organised the first direct talks between the rebels and President Pierre Buyoya in Libreville.

“We want to pursue the talks, we are ready to continue the talks,” Ndiho said. “That has always been our position. We cannot extricate ourselves from the talks.” In a recent statement, the Burundi government described the Libreville meeting as a success and expressed its desire that the other rebel group, PALIPEHUTU-FNL, would also come to the negotiating table.