G8 group accuses G7 of “creating diversion”

The pro-Tutsi G8 group, opposed to President Pierre Buyoya, has rejected conditionalities put forward by the pro-Hutu G7 group on the establishment of Burundi’s transitional institutions. The G8 spokesman, Alphonse Rugambarara, quoted by the private Netpress news agency, accused the G7 of trying to “create a diversion, just like the government’s ceasefire issue”. “Despite its shortcomings, the [Arusha] agreement presents the best way out of the crisis that we have been in for several years now,” he said. He added he was confident the peace process would continue since “nobody in Burundi is interested in seeing this country continue being bogged down in the crisis, and the three groups which continue to be stumbling blocks (the G7, the government and the rebels) are very aware of the gravity of the situation”.