Mandela suggests splitting transition leadership

The mediator of the Burundi peace talks, Nelson Mandela, on Monday put forward proposals for the country's transition period, the Hirondelle news agency reported. He was addressing regional heads of state who have gathered in the Tanzanian town of Arusha to discuss the peace process. Mandela proposed that a Tutsi president should lead the country for the first 18 months of the transition, and a Hutu president for the next 18 months. However, the pro-Hutu bloc of parties negotiating in Arusha, known as the G-7, are reported to have strongly rejected the proposal. Opposition FRODEBU delegate, Pierre-Claver Nahimana told Hirondelle that the suggestion was "not clear...and contains no guarantees". He said there would be no progress at the talks "if the mediator sticks to his current position". The pro-Tutsi, G-2 and G-10 groups, favour the proposal, although six small parties (G-6) who are opposed to current President Pierre Buyoya stressed that he should not be the transitional Tutsi leader.