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Rebel faction, government agree on framework

[South Africa] Jacob Zuma. SA Government
South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma’s visit to Uganda on Monday was part of a wider initiative to bring about solutions to the conflicts in the Great Lakes region
    NAIROBI

    A faction of the Conseil national pour la défense de la démocratie-Forces pour la défense de la démocratie (CNDD-FDD) and the transitional government on Friday 22 February agreed on a general framework of negotiations intended to lead, as soon as possible, to a definite agreement on a cease-fire and the restoration of democracy in Burundi.

    In a statement, CNDD-FDD said the two delegations had agreed to meet again "shortly" to study ways of establishing a favourable environment for negotiations, including the implementation of a suspension of hostilities.

    "Things went very well. It was a very positive meeting, and we decided to meet soon to discuss a cease-fire so as to restore democracy in our country," a CNDD-FDD official contacted by IRIN on Tuesday said.

    The delegates met between Monday and Friday last week in South Africa, under the facilitation of the South African deputy president, Jacob Zuma. The meeting was also attended by Gabon's foreign minister, Jean Ping, and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, Berhanu Dinka.

    The CNDD-FDD faction which attended last week's meeting is headed by Pierre Nkurunziza, while the one which did not is led by Jean-Bosco Ndayikengurukiye. The other armed rebel group, Forces nationale de liberation (FNL), declined to attend, saying it had received the invitation too late - three days before the meeting - so it lacked sufficient time to prepare for it.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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